The Dark Descendant
by jimelization
Summary: Sequel to "Heart of a Mother". When an affected Elyon makes the terrible mistake of freeing her brother, Kandrakar and the entire Universe are put on great alert. Can two generations of guardians unite and stop the Prince before it's too late? In the midst of all the drama and a newfound prophecy, Nerissa is in dismay: Is Phobos the Dark Descendant or is he but a toy in her hands?
1. Prince of the Ball Part One

**_Hello guys,  
I'm happy to publish the first chapter of "The Dark D__escendant" for you all. This is the sequel to my previous story "Heart of a Mother" following the events from it. Now, while I strongly recommend that you all read "Heart of a Mother" before starting this (if you haven't yet) , I have also written this little intro which summarizes the main events for all you new readers to understand the plot better. It's simply like a little narration presented by the main characters, which I thought would be fun. :)  
_**

* * *

_Will: Hi, there. Before you start wondering what this is all about, let me tell you a few words about the last six months of our life. Believe me, they have been pretty hectic. Here's what happened._

_Taranee: As her pregnancy progressed, Cornelia fell into a constant petulant mood, and that resulted in us fighting on several occasions. Meanwhile, the Heart of Kandrakar began acting freakishly, as if it was trying to tell Will something. (Heart of a Mother chapter 5) But when she tried to share her misgiving with our blond friend, Corny took it personally and lashed out at her. (Heart of a Mother Chapter 6)_

_Hay Lin: Before we could say 'evil sorceress' out loud, grandma caught Caleb's dad red-handed. It turned out that he had indeed been helping Nerissa break free of the magical volition chains which kept her imprisoned the whole time! Will's bad feeling had been well-founded. (Heart of a Mother chapter 12)_

_Irma: Yeah, however, our pink poopy perky pumpkin (Will), had taken a very lame decision not to tell us anything. She had only spoken to Taranee, and by the time the rest of us uncovered the truth it was too late- Nerissa was already free. Shortly afterwards and some other dull moves later, Nerissa was able to play us and have us exactly where she had wanted us. We were defeated by the wicked witch, and she could safely go ahead with her plan. (Heart of a Mother chapters 13&14)_

_Cornelia: To our dismay, it was revealed that Nerissa's actual plan, that she and Julian had been compiling for ten years, was to simply get back to him and win Caleb's love. She wanted a new chance to have her family and when she had heard of my pregnancy, she had known that the right time had come. Being Caleb's mother, she wanted to be a part of her son's life. (duhh, who wouldn't)_

_Will: And that was how Nerissa became a part of our everyday life again. This time forever, and to be honest, I wasn't quite ready to accept her just yet..._

_Irma: Nah, she wasn't, she was going through a rough period with mommy issues of her own._

_Taranee: Irma!_

_Hay Lin: Some more time went by. Surely Nerissa didn't start loving us, but at least she wasn't trying to destroy us and conquer the Universe any longer._

_Irma: As far as we knew, of course..._

_Taranee: Nevertheless, her old teammates, Halinor and Kadma, weren't too pleased with her breaking out of prison, for she had, as usual, achieved it all with deceit._

_Cornelia: The ex-guardians declared war on Nerissa and resorted to a handful of meanness in an attempt to make her pay for her previous sins. Including my kidnapping! ( Heart of a Mother Arc. 2)_

_Taranee: Months went by, and as you can imagine, the events didn't slow down. So many things happened in Heatherfield, Meridian and Zambala, until a few weeks after Cornelia had given birth to her son, an unexpected twist made the former guardians reconcile and start living in harmony and friendship with each other and with the world around them._

_Irma: We were under the impression that things were finally going to be fine, but nooo, I had to open my big mouth in front of the Oracle-_

_Taranee: Cassidy, the former water guardian, turned out to have been my brother Peter's girlfriend of two years. And she was pregnant with his baby! The shock and the trauma which I went through after hearing that and, on top of all, the news that my brother is now suffering from depression, took the better of me._

_Cornelia: Caleb's relationship with his mom got so strong ever since she took him to Magjenzian Falls during the spring, that being the man he is, he decided that he has to do everything in his power to protect her and make her happy. (Heart of a Mother chapter 14) In the end of September, he told me that he has been secretly working on restoring Nerissa's position as Mage of Meridian. (Heart of a Mother chapter 39)_

_Irma: Yeah, it wasn't like giving her the Universe on a platter, but the old fox seemed to appreciate it._

_Will: The news of Elyon's arranged marriage came as a shocker, but the royal advisors and the new-old Mage convinced her that it was for the best. Now she is getting married to this Coronian Prince and we're about to attend Nerissa's special ball in the Palace, but I can't help feeling tense. Something is about to happen. I just know it._

* * *

**THE DARK DESCENDANT**

**ARC 1 (3)**  


_"Rejected Reign"_  


**Chapter One: Prince of the Ball Part One**

"Hello,_ brother_."- Elyon Brown Escanor's cold voice resounded in the dark cell she had just walked in.

The cell was also cold, she had taken him out of his regular prison to this one, without telling anyone, but there was hardly any need to anyway. No one was interested in him. Nobody gave a cracked coin for the Prince of Meridian, the prince who had been drowning his people in misery and pains for years.

She herself did not want to see him, but at the same time, she longed to tell him so many things. It was difficult. _Too difficult_.

Elyon cast a raw look at the fading body that appeared in the faint light of the torch she had brought with herself:

"My dear sister. I knew you would come to see me sooner or later."- if it wasn't for his voice, the young Queen would've truly had a hard time recognizing him.

Seeing him earlier that week, she hadn't noticed just how fragile and thin he had become. She didn't care, for that manner, it was enough that she had left him with the right to be alive, even after all that he had done...But still, on a purely humanitarian level, this site saddened her. Elyon could not enjoy the suffering of others, unlike some people.

_Nerissa_, she thought angrily, recalling the gloating of the former guardian directed specifically at her, at any moment when she was given the opportunity.

Nerissa loved strongly, but she hated with a passion too. Elyon couldn't boast about either. She wanted to love, but apart from her friends, Galgheita and her adoptive family, there was no one to devote to. No one to whom to surrender whole, no one to gift herself to...

Except for her people, of course, but it wasn't the same thing. However, the Queen didn't carry hatred inside herself either. She just wasn't capable of that feeling. At times, she seriously doubted herself and her worth because of all that.

"Right. How _did_ you know, Phobos. How can you be so sure?"- Elyon fired, brushing off all of her agonizing thoughts. "Did you really dare to speak ill of Caleb and his family? Did you threaten them?"

For a moment, Phobos's face remained stony, but then he managed to pull out a little smile:

"Elyon, the sorceress herself said that my words were devoid of any value._ That same sorceress that trapped you in a jewel, remember?_ You gave her honor and glory. Huh, whatever, it's your funeral, you know, I will not bother to criticize that ... But back to your question, if my words are worthless, what does it matter? What I said or thought? What do you care."

"What is that supposed to mean?"- Elyon bared her teeth. "I saved your life from her, brother, you owe me some sincerity.-"

"Yes, you did, and I am forever beholden to you for that. Even though the fate you chose for me is worse than death."- Phobos sneered sickeningly. "More than ten years behind the bars, rotting all by myself, yet this is the first time you came to see me. I wonder why."

Elyon was trying to suppress the black anguish that was pushing her from within, and that terrible feeling that standing near her brother brought her. She felt like the most betrayed person in the universe. Yet again, a feeling she had thought had disappeared after her 13th year.

"I doubt that you've expected regular visits after all the misery you brought to so many people. Even to your own sister and parents! You were cruel and barbaric even with us, Phobos, do you think that you deserve any better after all that? After you never showed even a little love!"

"Now I understand what this is all about."- the prince retorted from the shadows of his corner. "But if you wanted to hear me say that I love you,_ even a little bit_, in spite of everything, my dear sister, I'm going to disappoint you. I've _never_ loved you. I've despised you from the day of your birth, because you robbed me of everything that I had, even before I actually had it! I only have hatred for you, Elyon, and your suffering will serve as my comfort when that witch takes the kingdom away from you. But when she does, no one will consider rebelling, right? Because she is a _female._ The whole philosophy of this rotten dimension lies in whether you have a vagina or _not_."

Elyon wiped the painful tears from her face. She no longer cared that he would see her weak, even the walls knew she was no strong queen, but his words caused a wave of red flags in front of her.

"Speak essentially, Phobos. And say what you mean without unnecessary rattles. I've long learned not to expect any love from you."- she lied. "Because you are not capable of love. But if you know something I don't know, I urge you to tell me, or ..."

"Or you'll what, Elyon? Send me to the pandemonium? It would be where I belong, and it'll still be better than watching you rule! But what am I even saying."- the man choked on his own words. "Leave me to wilt in peace and go on your way. Why aren't you at your honorable Mage's ball? Were you not invited?"- and he laughed making her blood boil.

Elyon raised her hand and sent the pinched body of her brother in the hard wall. He slumped back to the ground in painful groans, as her hair flew back and her eyes glowed with power.

"Don't make me repeat myself, Phobos. Answer me! What do you know about Nerissa, that I don't? What do you mean she's going to take away my kingdom?!"

"Oh, dear sister, you're as blind as a mole."- the prince shook his head. "The sorceress is thirsty for power, hardly recognizing her bastard changed that fact. Just like before, she is plotting her way to what she wants to achieve. Taking Meridian under your nose will most probably be step one. Yesterday she made me bow in front of the rebel leader, tomorrow she makes you lick the ground before she walks on it."

"And what do you gain if she fails."- Elyon frowned. "You'd never help me, that's a fact."

"Revenge of course. I already said."- Phobos shrugged. "Revenge, for she and the old warhorse undermined the foundations of my kingdom with their woebegone rebellion."- he hissed with contempt. "And the guardians, who she..."

"You're an idiot for not seeing that coming, your foundations have been decaying from the day you've usurped the throne."- Elyon shook her head with disgust. It was spinning at that point. "I never should've come to talk to you about anything. You're a lunatic!"

"Good, sister, I'm glad that you're freeing me of your presence, but please, for your wedding gift, accept just another few words of wisdom from me."

The young woman stopped dead in her tracks. She lowered the hand that was going to teletransport Phobos back to his original prison.

"How do you know about that?"

"Let's just say that not everyone is pleased with your _glorious_ reign, full-fledged queen."- he sneered, making her sick. "Elyon, the Mage has already started to work by getting you in a marriage by her will, isn't that right? Dear sister, are you still that stupid? Guess it explains why it was so easy to control you back during your first days on Meridian as a teenager."

That was the last drop that had the glass overflow. Reminding her of how she used to be his pawn all these years ago, how he almost killed her, and almost took her power away, was beyond glib. But 'almost' was a keyword. It gave Elyon confidence. He had failed. Phobos had failed, and Elyon wasn't going to let him gloat. She was the one who was going to laugh in the end. Nerissa would fail too, in whatever she was planning to do. Enough was enough with these derisive, nasty villains tormenting her kingdom.

"No, Phobos. I'm not like that anymore. I have changed. "- she said coldly as she cornered him. "I'm going to show just how much."- Elyon finished face to face with her brother's shocked expression, as she tightened her fingers around his thin neck...

* * *

Meridian nights were always beautiful. The capital, with all the lights from the windows and the villages around, glowing with all the people and their evening activities bellow the grand palace, added to the hundreds of stars in the cloudless sky.

Queen Weira's old ballroom was reopened and decorated for this evening's event that had already begun. The large candlelight chandeliers and long tables filled with food, still left room for the dance floor, as planned in the construction of this hall.

After all, it was just such a striking ballroom that one could not not dance in. It was simply beautiful with it's inlaid with emeralds royal walls and polished marble floor.

Halinor Clarkson smiled heartily as she stood in front of the entrance of the festive hall. Her long blond hair was expertly styled into big doll curls that fell to her waist. Her long creamy evening gown with a cloak, for its part, gave her a more than delicate look. The ex-guardian turned to Kadma, who smiled back at her as they both proceeded to walk in:

"I'm so happy that I lived to see this day, Kadma, I don't even have the vocabulary needed to describe how very much."

"No words are needed, I know what you mean, for I share your sentiment."- Kadma agreed. "Tonight is a milestone that is to be appreciated."

Her long dark hair was down, something unusual for her, but worthy of the occasion. The exotic saree-like dress which she wore, in purple, salmon, and white colors hugged her slender body flatteringly.

"Oh, old friend, what a strong line. You're making me feel uncomfortable, my private party is really not that big of a deal. Or is it?"- Nerissa greeted them with a big smile in the most blinding, elegant evening gown.

The long-sleeved silver dress reached to the ground, and the left half of it was sewn, as it appeared, with real silver elements, which, like armor and jewelry in one, met the fabric of the other half, forming a striking but proud slit on the chest. Yes, this look was among her most regal ones yet, with her stunning beauty, posture, and charisma. A look worthy of a queen.

"Yes, dear friend, it really is that special. Because you've grown so incredibly much over the last six months. Both as your own person and in our eyes."- Kadma hugged her sincerely.

"And now as the Mage of Meridian."- Halinor added before hugging her friend in her turn. "I'm so happy for you, Nerissa."

"Thank you."- Nerissa held both their hands in hers. "We've all been through a lot, but tonight I want to forget about everything and just have fun. We will sing and dance, we will drink fine wine and make up for all the time that we've lost. And I'm serious about it, I do expect all of you to sing too. I've heard you before, you both have good voices."

"Nerissa, that's not true.-"- Kadma argued hastily, terrified of the idea of singing in front of so many other people, but Halinor just laughed as the third woman started to gently drag them after herself. "Quit being silly, we can't sing!-"

"Oh, yes you can! You were going to be my back vocals back in the day, which means that you will sing at my party _now_."- Nerissa was stubborn and they knew it.

"But, Rissy, our voices are plain ordinary."- Halinor managed to utter between the laughs. "You have a talent, while we're just..."

"No, buts Halinor. The Mage of Meridian and your dear friend says so."- the former keeper had finally dragged them to the place where she wanted them. The center of the ballroom.

"Now, let's give the guests a couple of more minutes and we'll get this party started."- Nerissa tossed her jet-black waves and turned to her friends with a playful smile.

Kadma finally gave up and smiled in response. She could sing for her friend if she wanted her to, what of it. She'd hardly embarrass herself any more than she had during the past months when she had been attacking Meridian because of her misunderstood justice.

Will Vandom looked up and smiled at the full glass which her boyfriend was offering her. The ballroom was crowded, but in a refined sort of way, if that made any sense. The redhead couldn't describe it, she was here because of her friends and because for the first time in a while, the figurative skies above them actually seemed cloudless. Irma and Cornelia had reported the crisis with Lillian and Uriah over. All the ex-guardian drama from the last months was over, but for some unknown reason, Will still couldn't properly relax.

"Hello, Shagon's ship to harbor Will."- the young man said with a smirk, trying to draw his girlfriend's attention. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing, Matt, really. I'm just-"

But before she could finish, a familiar pushy voice interjected in their conversation:

"Wow. Was that a sexual reference? The ship and the harbor, hmmm.-"

"Why yes, Irma. How do you always guess right?"- Matt couldn't restrain himself from returning the ball, as he watched the young Latina sit next to Will with a grin.

"I'm dating a geek."- she responded in a didactic voice. "I know things. Just like I knew that the future Mrs. Ashcroft will be joining the _part-e-y_ despite of her firm word. "

Everyone turned their attention to Taranee who had come after the Water guardian. She lifted the skirts of her orange dress as she sat next to the other two young women with a stiff upper lip:

"Taranee?"- Will turned to her incredulously. "Mrs. Ashcroft? Did you get a proposal too?"

"Oh, would you stop listening to her."- and Taranee glared at Irma. "She's just blabbing like always. I'm only here because I have to talk to Nerissa. It's about Peter.-"- she explained.

"Whaat?! Wait a minute who got a proposal?"- Irma asked in a demanding, loud voice. "Matt?!"

"No, I haven't...We have talked about this and we aren't going to be thinking about a wedding before graduating college. Right? Or did I get it wrong?"- Matt looked at Will cautiously.

"No! I mean yes, oh just forget about that. I don't know why I added that 'too'."- Will shook her head hastily.

She had almost uttered that Eric was thinking of proposing to Hay Lin, something which neither of them knew and weren't supposed to know either. Not before it actually happened and Hay Lin decided to tell them on her own. After all, she had just overheard her boyfriend talking to Nigel and Martin about it weeks ago, but that was another story.

"It's your fault, Irma! Why do you call us by our boyfriends' last names?"- Taranee was clearly in a bad mood. "We're at an age when every such hint suggests that we are _actually_ getting married. You're not supposed to sow doubt or get people's hopes up!"

"Oh, I am sorry, _Ms. Cook_."- Irma scowled at her. "I forgot that you were on your period!"

"So, Taranee."- Will interfered, deciding to end their dispute before it got more heated. "You said it was about Peter. How's he doing?"

"He's fine, I guess."- Taranee sighed. "It appears that he has been calmer after we spoke to the Oracle about it-"

"Which was a colossal waste of time!"- Irma interrupted her with a huff, remembering the uneventful talk on Kandrakar from the last week.

"- Irma, don't' talk in parallel with me, thank you. As I was saying, even though Peter has been doing better, I fear that this might be just a calm before the storm. The thought of Peter's future still bothers me, the Oracle didn't dispel or confirm my doubts. All he said was that he didn't send that scroll... Therefore the question remains open, and Nerissa promised to help me sort it out. Only, for this reason, I didn't interfere in my brother's relationship with Cassidy-"

"And because your mother would never let you."- Irma pointed out. "She's been glued to sweet ol' Cassidy in the last days."

Taranee closed her eyes, trying to come to terms with the facts and her friend's maddening behavior.

"Yes."- she finally said. "That's why I came to talk to Nerissa again. Mage or no Mage, she promised to help Peter because of her friend's best interests. And she will have to keep her word."

"I wouldn't count on that."- Will mumbled under her nose. "I mean, maybe she will, but tonight...I don't see it happening. She is absorbed in the celebration and her new position, and will not be responsive if you try to tear her away from them. Wait till tomorrow."

"Yeah, can you believe that she totally lied about the dress code?"- Irma fired. "She said that this was going to be a 'modest informal party.' Informal my ass! Just look at her!"-and she pointed at the ex-guardians in the distance. "If they melt her dress an entire store is gonna be supplied with utensils!"

"Wait, aren't Cassidy and Yan Lin coming?"- Matt asked after he counted three out of five former guardians present.

"Yan Lin was getting ready when Blunk and I folded from the Dragon. That was about 15 minutes ago. And Cassidy is probably trying to make an excuse to escape my mother."- the fire guardian said with a grim expression. "I told you guys, I came because I need to know that my brother is suffering nothing more than depression. I have a very bad feeling and it's freaking me out."

Will felt her own foreboding swirl her guts, but before she could open her mouth to try to comfort her friend, Cornelia appeared out of nowhere and shoved her iPhone in her hands:

"Taranee take a good picture of us."- she ordered as she made a sign to Caleb to hurry. He was carrying their infant son in his arms.

"A picture of you here? And how are you going to caption it? #Rebelparty; #Meridian; #GuardianofEarth?"- Irma taunted her.

"They really need to make a Meridian social network, don't they, Cornelia?"- Matt grinned.

"Did I say that I am going to be posting it anywhere?"- Cornelia snapped as she posed with her men while Taranee took pictures. "Caleb you're supposed to be looking at the camera, not at me. Urgh! Why is everyone determined to enrage me today?"

"Usually I know where I'm supposed to look, but which one of the three is the right one to look at now?"- Caleb growled, visibly irritated. "Over ten years on Earth and your stupid newest phone still manages to restart all my knowledge of technology."

"You got the hotplates already? When did you manage Corny, your old phone was brand new."- Irma whistled looking at the modern phone in Taranee's hands.

"As if you don't know she's wasteful."- the fire guardian shook her head as she clicked yet another picture. Cornelia insisted on poor two-months-old Killian to be properly facing the lens as well. "By the way, Caleb, don't worry. Nobody really knows how to work that thing yet. It's alien technology."

"They are. The hotplates are amazing for pics."-Irma sighed dreamily. "No wonder Cornelia is crazy to try them out. For someone as narcissistic as her..."

"It's my hard-worked money, Irma, I can spend it on whatever I want."- Cornelia snapped. "Quit being jealous."

"Must you two always act like kids."- Taranee rolled her eyes as Will grinned at Matt.

Irma and Cornelia's hassle continued:

"_Your_ money? You don't even work!"- the Latina squealed.

The young mother's face blushed with anger as she heard that:

"Well you do, don't you. You make good for yourself, just buy yourself one and leave me alone!"

Irma made a face at that and interlaced her thumbs:

"Yeah... remember how 3 years ago, when the radio first began to make good money, I used to spend all that I've earned for a month in two days?"- Irma made a face again. "Ever since then I've decided to have Martin manage my finances, just to be safe. And he'll say no to the hotplates, you know he's not an Apple lover."

"Oh, yeah, I remember."- Cornelia smiled evilly. "That was a period when you, for once, had _nice_ things."

Taranee ignored the two quarrelsome women and concentrated on the screen. She would take one last picture. Hopefully, Cornelia was going to approve at least a few of the many she had already made. Just then, however, the blonde's messenger indicated the arrival of a new message. Taranee stared at the chat head that had appeared over the desktop incredulously, but before she could even blink, she felt the mobile being abruptly snatched away from her hands.

"That's enough, Taranee. Thanks."- Cornelia smiled exaggeratedly. "These will do. Come on, Caleb. Give me Killian, I'll go leave him with the royal nannies, away from all the fuss here, before he gets even grumpier."

"What no pics with us? Not at least a selfie? You're selfish, Cornelia!"- Irma yelled after her friend. "You want the magic of the hotplates only for yourself!"

"Get out of my hair, Irma!"

But as the Earth guardian walked away with her son and the others grinned at the seemingly carefree, fun moment, Taranee couldn't erase what she had seen from her mind. Because unlike her friends, she suddenly knew that the actuality was different. Cornelia wasn't just harmlessly locking horns with Irma as usual, she was fleeing after being caught red-handed.

_You may try to conceal the truth as much as you want, Cornelia_, the fire guardian thought with a decisive frown. _But I will get to the bottom of this. I owe it to him and to myself._

* * *

Shortly after Yan Lin and Cassidy's arrival, the party continued on full steam. Like a true profane event, it did include lots of music, dancing, and eating. The other guests, mainly members of the rebellion and their close ones seemed to be having just as good of a time as the former guardians, who had gathered in the middle of the ballroom, celebrating and enjoying each other's company.

Like everyone else, Yan Lin had also formalized. She had swapped her green kimono for a silken white one, while her hair was gathered in a more romantic, lower bun, than her usual one, with chopsticks sticking out of it.

Cassidy's aquamarine princess dress also gave her a look of grace and festivity. The two of them had been the two poles calling for peace and a new beginning, and now that this had finally been achieved, they couldn't be happier.

Somewhere nearby, Aketon and his son were happily saying cheers to Julian and Blunk, who was making his best to intervene everywhere, at least for a couple of minutes. Even he was excited, it had been a long time since the last party in Meridian, and parties always meant two things for the little passling- abundant food and finds.

Kadma was just smiling at a group of kids that were passing by, looking at her in awe, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Word about her had obviously spread around, she realized. But thankfully, not in a negative light, as she had feared. A kind-faced woman, most probably the children's mother, was standing next to Nerissa, who had touched her shoulder:

"Kadma, this is Kaya. "- the ex keeper explained. "Her husband, who she lost 12 years ago in the tragic Winter Revolt, was a rebel. Ever since his demise, she has raised her three children alone, having to provide for them by looking after what was left of the family farm and numerous other jobs which she has been forced to take in order to make ends meet. But this year, as the time for the last harvest comes, her crops have not yet developed sufficiently. Soon frost will start falling every morning, and Kaya will not be able to prepare for the winter. I am sure you will be able to help her with this problem."

"Dear Queen of Zambala, I would never dare to ask you for such a favor. But when the Mage offered, I couldn't help but see hope. It will be a great honor for me, and I shall be forever indebted to you for helping my farm if you decide to, Your Highness."- Kaya said as she humbly bowed her head.

Kadma smiled and moved her glance from the farmer woman to her old friend. Nerissa smiled back. She was already taking her liability as a guide and aide to people seriously, and that could not not make Kadma feel proud of her.

_Nerissa, you've always wanted to help good people, I know that,_ she thought, _you've just finally discovered the right way to do it._

"Kaya, the pleasure to help you and your beautiful kids out will be mine."- the former Earth guardian assured her, under the sounds live music coming from the other side of the ballroom.

The farmer woman beamed with gratitude and awe as she watched the majestic woman form a little ball of pure energy with the help of her staff, which had appeared in her hands, summoned with only an impulse of hers.

"This orb has the power to make even the dead land fertile in just hours." - the former guardian revealed as she let the little ball gently fall into Kaya's hands. "Release it above your lands and allow the energy it contains to become one with the soil. Fertility will come before the next dawn, and you'll be ready to reap, long before the days of the last harvest."

"Thank you so much, Queen Kadma. Thank you, Mage!"- Kaya attempted to touch their feet as a sign of humility and gratitude, but they both gently stopped her. "I knew that you would truly take care of us, I knew that you deserve to be our Mage!"

Kaya had long left, but Nerissa's smile remained on her lips. She felt more than accomplished. Where was that whelp to witness this now? Was she really not going to attend the ball? Her will! She would never be a better Queen, no matter what...

Kadma locked arms with her friend and raised her eyebrows amicably:

"What's the matter? Shall we sing?"- she asked facetiously. "Or would you rather help another good Samaritan out first? I must admit, Mage, that was very thoughtful. Bravo."

"That was nothing."- Nerissa replied. "I have greater plans for people in this realm, Kadma, especially for the rebellion. My son fought for me to become their patron and fiduciary, and I will not disappoint him. I will make a difference."

Kadma watched the determination and dedication of the other woman and felt a rush of true happiness. She was more than happy to have her girlfriend go down this new path. As she had said herself, Nerissa had long wanted to accomplish such things, but the path chosen to reach the goal was out of greater importance. The right path now lay in front of her.

* * *

The music died down as the doors of the ballroom opened sharply. With a swift of her hand, the Queen silenced the musical instruments of the orchestra and attracted all attention to herself. Galgheita's mouth hung open as she saw the chained Prince behind her:

"Your Majesty!'-she almost gasped. "What is the meaning of..."

"Good evening, everybody."- Elyon's voice was militant when she cut the old woman off. "I am sorry to have interrupted your celebration. I also apologize if I am scaring you right now, but I am here with this vile criminal tethered helpless behind my back, to make a bunch of things clear. Don't let his presence here intimidate you, I will only use him as edification for all."

The people of Meridian, including the present and former guardians, all exchanged glances with the person nearest to them. This entire scene was painful and heavy, both for watching and listening. There was something terribly wrong and lamentable in the sight that had suddenly darkened an otherwise fun evening.

"All who plot behind my back and have wicked intentions will end like Phobos."- Elyon went on, roughly pulling the end of the chain, making her brother's weak body tremble and fall to the ground. "The tyrant and murderer you are all afraid of, now looks like an exhumed corpse. This is happening to the evil in my kingdom, for it is not welcome here, my dear people. What I want to say to all of you is that there is no reason for fear, and that will remain so. As long as I am with you, no one will ever be able to claim my throne again. Nor your lives. No matter how hard they try."

Kadma stared with wide-open unbelieving eyes. What had happened to the labile, insecure girl who had not been able to take any action a few months ago? Elyon's innocence had disappeared at that moment, as there seemed to be a new woman in front of them all. A stern but fair queen, at least seemingly ...

Will couldn't just stand anymore. The terrible premonition in her chest was in its tumult and was suffocating her. She was going to be the first one to pull away from Irma's unconscious grip, subdued by heavy emotion, and criticize what they were all witnessing, if a sonorous, accusing yell hadn't outstripped her:

"What is this absurd, you clown of a girl! Are you insane to lead him here after what I told you yesterday? You didn't listen to a word I said!-"

"No one."- Elyon interrupted the sorceress sharply, raising her index finger. "...GETS TO TALK TO ME LIKE THAT! NOT EVEN YOU! This is MY kingdom. I take the decisions regarding it, and if you don't like it, then leave! It would be better off that way, anyway."

Nerissa narrowed her eyes with contempt. This just wasn't happening. Up until ten minutes ago, her happiness had been in its zenith. _Up until the wretched Whelp hadn't shown up._

"With all due respect, Elyon..."-Kadma began, but Elyon didn't let her finish.

"It's Queen Elyon to you, Queen Kadma."- she stated icily. "Neither are we that close nor will we ever be. After what _you put us through_, no thank you. Do not presume upon a short acquaintance."

The former guardian was left speechless, but that was when Alborn and Miriadel, followed by Galgheita, made an attempt to reason with their suddenly unrecognizable daughter. She stopped them with an open hand:

"No. I don't need your opinion either. You who leave me alone when I need you most. You simply don't get me."- she shook her head bitterly.

"Elyon."- Miriadel cried. "That is not true, we love you-"

"Sure you do."- the blonde just raised her hand again and this time her parents couldn't move any further, even if they tried tо. "This demonstration is my decision."

"Demonstration?"- Nerissa exclaimed mockingly. "And what exactly are you demonstrating, your sheer incompetence? The entire planet wants to see your brother dead, and you bring him here on a leash, like some pet? What do you think that this is, _your Majesty_, a game? You're doing this to ruin my ball, but you're going to ruin much more than that in your tearing stupidity!"

"I couldn't care less about your stupid party or your other nonsense, Nerissa!"- Elyon fired back, fighting to swallow the bitter tears. She was sick and tired of being called incompetent and she was going to make all who thought of her like that go silent forever. "But that doesn't mean that I will allow you to snatch the crown from my head!'

"Your Majesty, that's enough."- Caleb made his way through the people with a furious expression taken over his otherwise distinct features.

All eyes turned to him, as Elyon's face dropped. The rebel leader stopped next to his mother and then bowed in front of Elyon, keeping a stone face.

Nerissa wanted to lift him to his feet and see him spit the little wretch in her face, but the words that came out of his mouth would also do a good job. She suppressed her anger and proudly raised her head as her son protected her:

"I thought you trusted my mother by now, and therefore agreed to approve her application for Mage. But it seems that you still consider her a villain. If so, why not just break the statutes and permits and forget about everything, instead of taking out this garbage here among innocent people."- and he glared at Phobos.

"Elyon, Caleb's right."- Cornelia interfered from the other end of the ballroom. Taranee followed her with her eyes, as the blonde lifted the skirts of her rose-colored gown making her way to the young Queen. "Phobos is really dangerous, if you wanted to make a point you could've tried something safer at least. You know how much pain he has cost you and everyone else around here with."

"Cornelia, he is frail" - Elyon began almost apologetically. It seemed as if she was back to her old self after her and Caleb's intervention. "I brought him here as proof that I can handle my crown. Because so many people don't believe in me."- she looked down sadly. " Nerissa said so many terrible things to me that night, I had to prove myself to her and..."

"Oh, but of course, Nerissa is always the worst and you're a little angel."- the ex-keeper interrupted her in a cross voice, as many pairs of eyes turned to her. "You didn't listen to a word I said, yet you heard all these_ terrible_ things. Stuck-up girl! I came to you when nobody else cared to see you, tried to give you a push in the right direction. I tried to convince you that Phobos must not live. And what did you do, you took him out for a walk! If something goes wrong, it will only be your fault!"

"Oh, here we go again."- Irma commented sarcastically.

"Nothing will go wrong!"- Elyon yelled. "I can keep things under control, when will you get that in your head?!"

"Oh please, you can't even handle your own self!"

"Nerissa is afraid of me."- the sound of his voice made everyone go silent. Phobos spoke for the first time since his arrival in the ballroom, and his cold green eyes were focused on the ex-guardian. She blenched, trying to keep a stiff upper lip. Next to her, Caleb was yelling something, but she could only hear the Prince's voice. Everything else was a blur.

In the other side of the ballroom, Will had fallen into the same trance. With a blank look, and as if tied hands, only the sounds of Phobos's cruel voice getting higher and higher reached her ears.

"Nerissa fears that I will ruin her little idyll. Just like I did last time. Just like I took her seal, I'll take all that she has achieved by now._ Because everything in this realm is rightfully mine._ The pathetic rebellion behind her back and my sister on the throne got her to think that Meridian is hers. That's why she wants me dead."- he smirked awry. "But that will not happen. Her conquering aspirations are useless. Her fears - fully justified."

The next events happened too fast for anyone to predict or halt them. Phobos stood up and ruthlessly pressed his hand to his sister's back, taking away her life force. In negative time, before the horrified glances of the screaming guests, his weak body was full of life again. Stealing from his sister's power, he regained his lost vitality...

"NO!"

"How is this possible, the chains of the ancient titans can't be escaped."- Kadma yelled on the top of her lungs, as the rebels were desperately trying to get their queen out of her brother's malicious grip. As long as he was holding her back in this way, he would continue to steal more and more life-giving power. After all, absorbing power was what he did best. "Nerissa, we have to evacuate the children and the... _Nerissa_?!"- but her friend was gone.

"The blasted sorceress, her entire clan, the rebellion, guardians, and everyone who dared to set against me will pay tonight."- Phobos's voice echoed in the old ballroom walls, as he dispersed all who came to him like flies. "For Meridian belongs to Phobos! I've longed to punish all of you for your betrayal, foul peasants!"

"No, you don't!"- Caleb roared as he ran towards the tyrant. "You don't get to sow any more death and tragedy, you bastard! You're outnumbered. You're going down!"

Phobos smiled evilly as he raised his left hand to strike at the rebel leader, who he hated with all his being. Before he could do that, however, a transformed Matt tackled him down, finally freeing Elyon of his suction.

Having lost consciousness, the young queen slumped to the ground, and her parents finally made their way to her as Shagon pressed her assailant firmly to the floor.

"You shouldn't have done this, my winged friend."- Phobos hissed with contempt as he overpowered Matt and wrapped his hands around his neck...

"Leave him alone!"- Will flew above them with full speed, followed by the other guardians. Her Quintessence repelled the prince and threw him into the opposite wall.

Halinor, Yan Lin, and Cassidy had already been able to bring all women and children to safety during the bustle. Elyon was lying on her mother's lap at the other end of the hall, where Galgheita was trying to wake her with a glass of water.

The rebels quickly regrouped and surrounded the body of the fallen prince together with the guardians. It was good that none of these men ever left home without a weapon:

"Not a move."- Julian ordered as he pressed the end of his sword to Phobos' neck, stopping Caleb from tearing him apart with his other hand. "This blade is enchanted to cut through black magic, you know what it can do to you, right? Very good. Raythor and his men are already on their way to come and collect this prisoner. Bring the magic-isolating chains!"

"Wow, 10 years in prison and you still couldn't think of a better escape plan."- Irma took the time to taunt the villain. "You seriously blow, Phobos."

_You will take your words back, brazen guardian_, Phobos thought as he kept minding the blade that halted him from making any moves.

"These chains."- Halinor's terrified voice ringed in the walls. "These chains are plain ordinary. They possess no magic qualities whatsoever."- she shook her head as she held the shackles that the prince had been wearing when he arrived in the ballroom.

"This explains why he was able to get free of them just like that, while Elyon was busy talking to Nerissa"- Will pondered out loud, as she flew over to the former guardian.

"Could've she mistaken the chains?"- Cassidy suggested. "I mean, it's possible that Elyon took these instead of the actual pair-"

"I don't think so."- Yan Lin shook her head grimly. "These fetters have been deliberately switched. Someone has done that to help Phobos's escape."

"Which means that Phobos has a confidant in the Palace."- Will finished grimly, feeling that bad premonition in her chest scald her insides, as she turned around and looked at the suspiciously quiet prince.

"What?!"- Irma and Cornelia gasped in unison.

"Impossible!"- Galgheita shook her head. "No one in this Palace could support him, we know our people. Everything is secure"- she looked at Miriadel, who held the queen in tears. "I repeat, we know our people, there has to be another explanation."

"Excuse me, Mrs. Rudolph, but you said the same thing last time, and it turned out that Nerissa has been playing glamour up as a maid here in your very secure palace for years."- Irma folded her arms on her chest, winning herself a rebuking shove in the ribs from Taranee.

"Yes, Ms. Lair, I recall, but exactly because of that you must believe me. After that happened, we've repeatedly refined our system and staff."- Galgheita insisted. "After what turned out to be the case with Trill, we've made sure not to make that same mistake again."

"Speaking of Trill, where did Nerissa vanish to?"- Taranee asked suspiciously, suddenly noticing the former guardian's absence. "Did y'all notice that she is not in this room with us?"

* * *

_Trivia: 'The chains of the ancient titans' are mystic chains forged thousands of years ago in order to restrain magic users from using their powers. Kadma also used them to block Nerissa's magic while she kept her as her prisoner in "Heart of a Mother"_


	2. Prince of the Ball Part Two

_Chapter 2: Prince of the Ball Part Two_

"You pathetic miscreant, did you really think that you could lay your dirty hands on my grandson and abduct him under my nose?"- Nerissa raised her chin with malice aforethought. "Tonight is not your lucky night."- she stated as she let the swinging man fall to the floor. The sword which she had brought to life, dashed, ready to cut his head off.

Only a sharp telekinetic wave saved his life. The sword got stuck in the wall. The man looked around himself in distress while lush roots sprouted out of nowhere and immobilized him completely.

"I knew I'd find you here."- Kadma said as she walked in the spacious, but old nursery. She looked at her feet and saw the unconscious governess near the biggest cot. "Is she alright?"

"She's just knocked out."- Nerissa snorted as she pressed her grandson closer to herself. "This rat you just reprieved hit her on the head when he came to _kidnap_ Killian. Thankfully, I saw him go out of the ballroom when Phobos attacked. I followed him here and prevented the worst thing. Is Phobos..."

"I see you had to act fast, Rissy. Yes, he's down, he was overpowered way too easily, if you ask me. I fear the danger is only seemingly passed. Do you think that he had some sort of a plan complied? Other than taking Killian for ransom... Who is this?"- Kadma asked tensely, nodding at the man tied up with roots.

"I don't know."- Nerissa admitted. "He could be a rebel, although if so, I don't see why would he agree to work for Phobos. Unless..."

"We should question him."- Kadma decided. "It's much better than killing him, this way we'll get to know more about Phobos's intentions. We should take him to everyone else and..."

"You didn't let me finish, Kadma, he's unresponsive, he might be under some sort of influence, look at his eyes."- Nerissa shook her head. "Phobos must've hypnotized him while putting up that show in the ballroom. You're right, his defeat was too easy, he was outnumbered to begin with. That is so because the fight upstairs was just a diversion. He wanted to kidnap my grandson meanwhile and have a thing to blackmails us with.-"

Kadma eyed her friend with a skeptic expression.

"Is that the best Phobos has to offer? One would think that after breaking free he would just flee and go into hiding until he gains more power. Why would he risk getting captured again if he doesn't have a bigger plan to buttress him."

The former keeper looked down. Kadma's words made sense, Phobos was indeed way too sure in himself and his chances for success, and it wasn't just because of his insanity. She herself had observed that disturbing fact. But on the other hand, the prince was a prideful fool, perhaps he had been aiming for Killian, putting all his hopes on his abduction. He had openly threatened her and her son with that.

_But why would Phobos reveal his intentions to us, that cannot be all he plots_, Nerissa clenched her teeth, terribly upset by everything that was happening. This was supposed to be _her_ celebration. Her ball. Elyon had ruined everything.

"Nerissa, we have to make sure that all prisoners are secure. If Phobos already has a plan to take over Meridian, eliminating his supporters' chances to escape will be the easiest way to cease him."- the former Earth guardian said.

"You're right, Kadma."- the other woman nodded. "But that I've already done. Ever since reclaiming my old jurisdictions, I can maintain a mental link with the Infinite City. The dungeons, the trenches, all the secret places - everything created with this very talisman opens up in front of me like a book on it's most frequently opened page."- she revealed as she showed the Mage ring off. "No one can escape from there while the ring is on my hand. Unless, of course ...I don't get distracted and the Queen doesn't take advantage of it-"

Kadma leaned on her staff giving it all another hard thought. There had to be a way to uncover at least a fraction of Phobos's plans, the idea of which rightly terrified everyone.

"We need to get out into the open, let me make contact with the Meridian soil."- she finally said. " If I can contact the environment, we could guarantee greater security for the castle and the capital, the very least."

Nerissa estimated her words and nodded distinctly. She once again thanked the Universe for reuniting her with her old friends in moments like these.

"As for the others, we will talk to them once we get a clear picture of the situation."- Kadma said right before they teletransported.

"Once again, I agree with you tonight."- Nerissa retorted. "The only way to defeat Phobos is to keep the guardians unacquainted with our actions."

* * *

"Phobos, I SWEAR, if you hurt my son, I'll kill you!"- Cornelia yelled throwing herself like mad in Matt and Irma's arms, as they were trying to stop her from attacking the prince. "And that's the only oath you'll get from me, you stupid ass!"

He only snickered as he continued to be threatened by Julian's blade, but he wasn't all that nervous because of it any longer. Upon hearing what he had to say, the veteran rebel had lost all his composure. The Evil Prince was gloating. On the inside, Julian could only wait and hope that his son would get to Killian before Phobos's people.

Phobos had dropped the bomb just like that when Raythor and his men had arrived to take him back to his cell. He had proclaimed that Killian was with his confidant and that if they ever wanted to seem him alive again, they had to step back.

Naturally, Will and Caleb had unanimously decided that before the child was seen again, alive and well with them, none of this would happen. But the situation was a little more delicate. Now Phobos was demanding an oath, and the redhead was torn. This was a decision that had surpassed all her expectations in relation to her misgivings. She had to decide: Phobos's freedom or Killian's life.

"But if you kill me, who'll reunite you with your infant son, Earth guardian?"- the light-haired man snickered evilly from the floor. "Be smart and take the offer while I'm still well-disposed."

Will looked down with a grave frown. Cornelia screamed in despair and just fell into Matt's arms, refusing to rebel any longer and surrendering to her tears. Halinor, whose tears also flowed, approached them and offered her shoulder to the young mother.

She still couldn't contact Nerissa or Kadma, who had now vanished as well, and that, combined with the sudden turn of events with the kidnapped baby, only further fueled her anxiety. She could only pray that her two friends were fine and meaning to do something faster.

"This is ridiculous, take him to Kandrakar at once."- Aketon spoke. "The Prince is the real threat, we can handle a group of men, trust that Caleb's son will be fine, but only after this dangerous man is away from our homeland!"

"Are you listening to yourself?!"- Halinor could not help but scream. "We're talking about a child, sir, a child threatened by this gruesome person's evil nature, not about a bunch of lands! How can you suggest that we leave a child to its fate just like that, when you know Phobos will show no mercy to Caleb's son in particular!"

"And I'm talking about an entire realm filled with many children, ma'am. Many children who aren't much more secure when that bastard's mercy is in question."- Aketon fired back. "Trust me, I deeply care for Julian's flesh and blood, but we must think on a larger scale in a moment like this. Once Phobos is away from here, nobody will be able to hurt neither Caleb's son nor any of the other children. You weren't listening, clearly."

"Oh, I listened and I heard you full well."- the former Fire guardian shook her head. "You should be glad that _Nerissa_ didn't hear you, because if she did.-"

"Woman, this is not about me or you, it's about Meridian! I mean nothing in comparison to that, and damn fine I'd die for my land. Would you?"- Aketon spat. "Julian, tell her, she's not trying to understand.-"

But Julian didn't even seem to hear their argument, he was too overwhelmed. Instead, Cassidy joined in, as she and Halinor continued to shout at Aketon, who didn't give up either.

All this jolt, apparently amused Prince, as Will angrily found out, noticing with the corner of her eye that he was laughing almost out loud at the suffering of others. What a low creature and soulless pest, Will could not even look at him. She couldn't even stand breathing the same air as that man. That was how disgusted she was with him, though by drawing energy from Elyon, the tyrant had almost regained his former appearance.

"Father, stop this, they are right!"- Aldarn finally yelled. "We're not going to take any actions before Caleb orders us to."

"I'm afraid that would be a bad choice."- everyone turned to Phobos as he spoke. "I'm getting bored with all of this."- he announced in an unscrupulous tone. "If you're going to be waiting for the rebel leader to return and confirm what I've already said, my offer will expire and you will be getting that little boy of his in a coffin."

"Hurt that child and I'll personally throw you down into the Abyss of Shadows, filled with lead and with a bag on your head, in spite of that insufficient sentence your sister gave you."- Raythor got dangerously close to the royal, only the blade of Julian's sword being a septum between them.

Phobos smiled coldly, despite the shrieks of his sunken ego.

"Suit yourself, Raythor. I have nothing to lose, unlike you."

"But you _do_."- Phobos turned his eyes away from the captain and focused them on the redhead.

Will was looking right at him, a look of pure odium written all over her face, as she spoke firmly:

"To give your life away is just something that would hurt you a lot, Phobos. You're too selfish and self-centered, don't deny it. You are also a coward - death still scares you more than imprisonment, even though you've spent a _decade_ behind bars."

"Of course."- Taranee backed her up. "And what else can we expect? After he has felt the pungent taste of power and the life force of other beings, once, the idea of giving this ability up will scare him more than anything. You are neither ready to die nor will you ever be, Phobos, do not pretend."

Phobos remained to stare at them, filled with hatred, the thirst for revenge, and the desire to punish them as soon as possible for their audacity and all they had done to him. The blasted Guardians ...

"That's it. I've officially grown tired of you, horrible peasants."- he announced loudly as he finally stood up, pushing Julian's blade aside.

In a moment of distraction, the man was unable to respond in time, Phobos had teletransported himself before anyone could reach him.

"No, no, no! No, that was it! My son is doomed."- Cornelia cried. "K-killian is still in his claws, Will, why didn't you do anything! How could you all just let him escape, knowing that my baby is with his people!"

By the time the blonde's despair had turned into hostility, the redhead had already given new instructions:

"He's not going anywhere, Cornelia. He needs that oath more than you think, trust me, Killian will be alright. Irma, Taranee, go see what's taking Caleb and the other men so long."

"How can you be so sure!"- Cornelia raged, but Will ignored her. She couldn't take the time to explain it all to her right now.

"Matt, take Mrs. Lin and go to Earth. We'll need our full power potential, hence we need Hay Lin. Once you find her and enlighten her on the case, get to Lillian and have her fold you back."

"Will, just say that you don't know what you're doing!"- Cornelia hissed as she pulled away from Halinor. "Lillian is new to her powers, God knows if she will be able to open a fold at all!"

"Cornelia, I do know what I'm doing."- Will sighed tiredly. "I asked you to trust me. It's the only way for us to be able to go through this crisis!"

"NO!"- the Earth guardian looked daggers at her. She was relentless, and she wasn't going to follow anything and anyone. Not anymore. "I'm going to find my son on my own, you've all showed just how capable you are already!"

"Cornelia, Caleb said..."- Aldarn began, but she didn't even give him a chance to finish.

"Out of my way!"

Will sighed once more as her friend hurled above her head, exiting the ballroom with thunder and crash. She was trying to fetch more power, but Cornelia was refusing to be a part of the harmony and it would hardly give any results. Just wonderful. Remaining the last active guardian in the room, Will nodded at Matt, once again assuring him to follow her lead. Once she folded Yan Lin and him to Heatherfield, she turned around and gave Raythor the signal. It was time.

Although impromptu, the plan she had been able to come up with, with the captain's help, was good. Once, they had succeeded in the past, and now, they would succeed again. If it had not been for an extremely unforeseen condition that suddenly called from the other end of the ballroom:

"I accept your conditions, Phobos, show yourself."

Miriadel and Galgheita flinched. How long had the Queen been awake? Apparently she had heard enough, because as she stood up with an effort, she repeated once more:

"I'm ready to do whatever you say. Just let Killian return to his parents."

"Elyon, no, what are you..."- Will began terrified, but Elyon had already fired the fatal shot:

"I swear on my crown and power, that if you leave Killian unharmed, I will grant you freedom!"

There was a grave silence in the room. Will genuinely wished that she could just take a hold of the other woman's hair and just sweep the floors with her. She had just trashed everything that Will had hoped to achieve.

_How could she be so stupid ..._

Phobos came to light with a smug smile, teletransporting so close, that Galgheita lost balance and fell back.

"Girls!"- Blunk irrupted in the ballroom, followed by the rebels. "Baby not in crib, baby not in castle! Bad guy working for Phobos is in cage!"

"Will, I have high reasons to believe that Killian is with my mother."- Caleb confirmed the little passling's words. "The man sent by Phobos to do the job was in an electrical cage..._Where's Cornelia?_"

How could she begin to explain everything to him? Will moved a helpless, angry gaze from the young rebel to Elyon, who was suddenly in dismay by her own words. How could the keeper of the Heart tell everyone that she herself had predicted this turn of events? What she hadn't seen coming was the Queen's cowardice. Everything else she had foreseen, but this...

"What the hell is going on again?!"- Caleb raged. "Why is he standing there freely? Get him! Where are the other guardians?! Will, the hell is going on? Didn't you hear me, Killian is with my mother, he's out of danger!"

"Too late."- Phobos grinned evilly, describing the situation in the best possible way.

* * *

Kadma kept her arms widely spread as she chanted something under her nose.

She had finally succeeded in her endeavor after long, desperate minutes. She had finally established contact with the earth. Meridian's soil was shaking from afar. Scared. As if it could feel the danger hanging over it like an evil storm, ready to erupt in any following minute.

"I wonder why I can't contact Yan Lin or the others."- Nerissa stomped her foot nervously, as she rocked her crying grandson in her arms. Something was upsetting him too, and she knew she had to take him to a safer place as soon as possible. "We must hurry, Kadma, we need to know what's happening in the Palace...Did you detect something?"

They were out in the open, very near to the Palace itself, from this low point the former guardian had to be able to use her powers on the lands around.

"Miles from here, the earth is shaking ... It is shaking under hoofs and feet, and even the air above it is broken by powerful wings ... this is ... Oh, God, it's an _army_, Nerissa."- Kadma narrated hardily.

"What?!"- the other woman exclaimed in shock. "An army?! What army? Where is it coming from?!"

"I do not know. But they are approaching really fast, they are headed for the Palace. What's west from the capital? They are so many, their gallop is like an earthquake; the rocks bounce beneath them-"

"Cavigor..."- Nerissa whispered.

It was a terrible discovery, but there was a reason behind it. Cavigor was the only possibility in that direction and it made perfect sense... A prison established by Phobos, in which many rebels had found their death, was turned into a prison for his followers after his defeat. Apparently now they were coming to the castle, summoned by their master, ready for revenge. But how...

"How did he summon them."- Nerissa couldn't help but mutter. "How did he even manage to free them in the first place?! He's supposed to be weak!"

"I don't know, but we will need an obstruction."- Kadma replied as she broke the connection with the land. "Otherwise they'll be here in less than fifteen minutes. What am I saying, they're already near the borders of the capital! If we don't do something now, the damage they will do shall be enormous!"

Nerissa gave it a thought. She was still maddened by the idea of how the prince had managed to take all these actions, though he had only just left prison today. All of this seemed thought out for a long time ...

"Can't you grow a hedge around the city."- she finally suggested. "A very tall and strong one. You know what I mean. It will serve as a barrier-."

"I'm already doing that, but it will hardly stop every creature in this army. I saw shapeshifters, mudslugs, and whatnot other beings."- Kadma looked at her friend tensely. "And these flying creatures, how do we stop them?"

"Then we must create a forcefield above the entire region. There's no other way."

"Nerissa, you do realize what enormous acreage is in question, don't you."- Kadma gasped. "We can try, but it will drain the Heart of Zamballa almost entirely... it will take days to restore the amount of energy which I'll use...that's not a problem for me, though, I'm just reminding you that magic always comes with a price, and if you..."

"Don't forget that we have two hearts at our disposal, old friend."- Nerissa interrupted her mildly, as the heart of Aridia appeared in her hand. "I do know what you mean, but if this is the only way to keep my word to my son and protect the people of Meridian, then so be it. I'm ready to pay the price."

Kadma nodded with a weak but sincere smile and created a tall soft bush, wrapped in sturdy twigs woven in each other, to form secure walls, in which Nerissa would leave the baby.

Then the two women brought their Hearts closer to each other and raised their hands high, pointing at the sky, starting their heavy spell.

* * *

"No, I refuse to allow this!"- Caleb raged, as Phobos smugly made his way past the rebels and Rayhtor, who looked at him as if he was something dirty stuck on the sole of his shoes.

"I'm sorry, rebel leader, but my sister made up her mind. She granted me freedom for your well-being. A wise choice, if you ask me, now I can't kill your son, as much as that would've made me happy."- the Prince smirked. "But what to do."

"Elyon may have sworn on her crown, but we didn't swear on anything. Neither the heart nor anything."- Will spat as she stood in Phobos's way. "We will stop you, Phobos."

"Wilhelmina, weren't you listening?"- Phobos laughed in her face. "You can't afford to take me back to the dungeons. Not unless you want to see my sister losing all her power, which by the way sounds pretty _fine_ to me. That's how oaths work when mystical forces are involved. You learned this from the sorceress, I learned it from you and now I used it on you. The student often becomes a better master than the teacher, but don't worry. Maybe one day you'll feel the meaning of that saying yourself."

"No, Phobos, you weren't listening."- Will glared back. "Your sister may have granted you freedom in the borders of her kingdom and authority, but I am taking you as my prisoner. I'm taking you to Kandrakar! This doesn't deny the oath, does it? You're history, buster."

Phobos moved his whimsical from the woman in front of him, passing the two cold green orbs around everyone else in the ballroom, looking back at him with hatred. Only his sister looked down, too ashamed of herself, standing all alone in the corner.

"How do you plan to do that."- he sneered turning to Will at a surprising speed. "When you scattered all the other guardians?"

As he said that, dark magic erupted from his palm, so sudden that it brought everyone to the floor, even Will, who found herself on Raythor, as the manic prince laughed coldly somewhere above them:

"I've always hated this ballroom."- he admitted with contempt, as he flew higher, aiming at his mother's coat of arms embroidered on the central wall. "But over the years, I forgot all about it. Now I finally have the opportunity to see it in ruins!

"GALGHEITA, NOOO!"- Elyon's terrified scream echoed in the walls, but it was too late.

Her nanny had already thrown herself in the spell's way, preventing it from destroying the coat of arms. She just couldn't watch Weira's favorite ballroom fall into pieces and that was it...

"Well that was an unexpected pleasure."- Phobos commented. "I finally punished the woman who stole my sister from the royal nursery all these years ago, saving her from me. How does it feel, Galgheita? Dying for a cause? I guess we will never know."- the man sneered from a top, but the old woman's eyes were already closed, as Elyon threw herself by her side in hot, bitter tears. Halinor gasped and hurried to them.

Phobos's gloating, however, was suddenly interrupted by the chains that suddenly flew before him, wrapping around his waist and bringing him to the ground. The same pair of chains that he had worn when arriving here.

"I'll kill you, son of a bitch."- Caleb growled with true hatred, as he and his father held the tyrant pressed to the floor, pressing the sword to his neck. "I'll finally kill you!"

"Not if I'm...faster!"- the Evil Prince hissed and in the next moment, after a bright flash, Julian and Caleb found themselves on the floor again. Will who had been flying in their way was sent flying across the room where she fell on Alborn this time, pushing Raythor down once again on the way. Phobos was too strong for them, even as it was...She cursed herself for sending the other girls out, but then again it was all Elyon's fault that this was happening...

"How I've dreamed of ending the two of you! "- Phobos pierced father and son with his evil gaze, as he flew close above them. Caleb pressed his back into Julian's, holding the sword to repel whatever the madman threw at them. But by the looks of it, it wasn't going to help much. The energy ball in his hand was getting bigger and bigger...

"Father and son of the rebellion, today I'm holding your funeral!"

The spell flew towards them. Caleb held the sword, brave to the very last moment...but the hit never came. Neither did the last moment.

The electric shield, which had suddenly teletransported in front of them, along with her, repelled both the spell and Phobos, sending him flying to the opposite wall where his back was slammed, leaving cracks all over.

"Maa!"- Caleb exclaimed as the electricity died down and Nerissa came into sight, standing like a tigress in front of the two of them.

"Nerissa, our grandson."- Julian managed to utter as he saw the image of her and her torn dress. The entire back trail of it was missing. "Is he..."

"He's safe on Earth. "- she replied shortly. "Why is _he_ still here? Regroup the men, I'll neutralize him. Let's finish him once and for all. This ball is over-"

"We can't."- Will interfered as she finally made her way to the family.

Nerissa looked daggers at her, but there was also a hint of bewilderment, amid the reproach the guardian expected to receive any moment now.

"Excuse me? For what all I see, you can't do a single thing right. Where in hell's name is your team of guardians and why was that asshole just about to harm my son and my husband in front of your very eyes!"

"Elyon swore on her crown that she would give him freedom."- Will replied, knowing that they'd have enough time to talk about all the other things later. Right now they had to deal with Phobos.

"She did what?!"- Nerissa was speechless.

She moved her eyes from the prince, who was struggling to get back to his senses, to the Queen crying above Galgheita's body..._Galgheita's body_? Nerissa just shook her head:

"I don't understand how can you all be so brainless..."

"Unfortunately you're late, sorceress. You're way too late!"- before anyone could react, Phobos was on his feet firing a deadly strike in her way. The only thing that saved her was the dark pink dome which materialized above her and Will.

"She's not alone, you spawn. Nor is she late."

"Kadma!"- Halinor sighed with relief at the sight of the Queen that was swinging her staff, glaring proudly right at Phobos.

"In fact, your army was late, they couldn't make it to the borders of the capital before our forcefield closed. They're all left out."- she continued triumphantly, making two vines arise from the ground and bond him to the wall.

"Army?!"- Will exclaimed. "What a..."

"Well, dear, while you were here, doing nothing but making the wrong choices, _as usual_."- Nerissa interrupted her bitterly."We ceased the Cavigor fugitives."

"There are prisoners that escaped Cavigor?"- Raythor's voice boomed. "But how..."

"All of them have escaped."- Kadma specified. "We don't know how what we know is that they were all headed this way to support Phobos. Whose problematic I suggest you find a _permanent_ solution to."- she added with a cold note in her voice, eyeing Miriadel and Alborn, who were too busy with comforting their daughter.

Will looked at Galgheita's lifeless body and sighed. Then she pressed her thumbs against her temples. She had to update the others and call them back here.

"You can take him to Kandrakar, as Aketon suggested."- Drake called. The rebels had regrouped. He was leading them. "They should know what to do with him there."

"I have a better idea."- Nerissa began darkly, as she swung her hand and placed Phobos' body in front of the big windows. "I think that it was more than proved just how great decision does Queen Elyon take. As Mage, I can't tolerate her incompetence any longer. In fact, after we end this, I would like to discuss the need for her to have _proper regents_. Her useless order to preserve her brother's life was just _another_ mistake. This man's execution has been delayed for too long."

Elyon, who remained by Galgheita's body, didn't even bother to protest. She had to try one last thing to save the woman who had risked her life for her. She concentrated on the nanny's fading heartbeat- it was faint, but it was_ still there_, Elyon realized in relief as the hot tears rolled down her cheeks. She had to undo Phobos's evil. Galgheita had to live, while he could just as well die. She couldn't fight for his soul anymore. Her brother was to be put to a terminal end, and that was the only thing that he did deserve.

"You said that you'll hurt me and my family, that you'll take revenge on the rebellion, but look at yourself now. You can't even save yourself. I should have ended you years ago, Phobos."- Nerissa spoke with hatred. "Well, you know what they say. Better late than never. Your chapter is finally over. The darkest of them all in Meridian's history."

"This is where you're wrong, Mage."- the Prince's eyelids flickered open in a swift moment. "My chapter is just beginning."

By the time she heard this, Will was already discouraged. Nerissa roared and threw her spell at him, but he disappeared in bright green light drowned in black sparks. He had teletransported, and her spell only reached the windows, bursting them into thousands of pieces, breaking the entire western wall of the late Weira's Ballroom down.


	3. Extreme Measures

_Chapter 3: Extreme Measures_

_"Power acquired by violence is only a usurpation, and lasts only as long as the force of him who commands prevails over that of those who obey"_

* * *

"You all guarded Phobos, yet you failed to stop him from escaping! Even though it has been so many years, you still have a hard time working in harmony, guardians, your carelessness is the reason why I'm forced to return to this wretched place once again!

"Hey, we might have screwed up on our part, but you two didn't even bother to inform us that the baby is with you."- Irma defended herself. "Do you know how much time and sweat could have that little piece of news spared us, Queen Babe?"

They were walking on their way to the Hall of the Congregation, consumed in a heated feud. Former and present guardians, together with Caleb, Elyon and her adoptive parents, who carried her nanny's body in an invisible bubble behind herself. She was heart-broken. Will was much more annoyed and tense if anything and Kadma and Irma's argument didn't help soothe her nerves one bit.

"Oh, please, we did much more than you, we protected the capital and the palace from Phobos's attack, had we informed you about Killian being with us, we would have lost the element of surprise that we needed to enable you to deal with that wicked man. An opportunity you _wasted_."- Kadma stated haughtily, raising her nose up.

"Is that the royal we again?"- Irma couldn't keep herself from this taunt. It was too good. "Because, for once, I don't hear Nerissa bitching about what happened."

The Queen of Zamballa grunted with resentment, but Will's shout finally ceased both her and the younger woman:

"Would you both shut up already? Please. Enough bad things happened tonight. I can't take your pointless bickering on top of everything."

"I apologize, Will, but mistakes are to be discussed. In fact, you made a mistake yourself, by not enlightening your fellow guardians on your plan."- Kadma shook her head stubbornly. "If you really did foresee Nerissa's actions, you shouldn't have let the others scatter."

Will closed her eyes with a deep sigh. She knew that already; she didn't need a reminder.

"See, Will? Arrogance the size of a stadium."- Irma exclaimed victoriously. "But hey, your Majesty, did you forget that the other former guardians were in the ballroom with us as well? Why didn't they do the right thing, huh? Now I know Mrs. Lin and Cassidy have no source to give them power, but Hal..."

"Shut up already, Irma."- Cornelia snapped, annoyed with the Latina's rants. "We're not here to listen to your blabbing, but to speak to the Oracle. "

"Oh sure, like that is going to do us any good!"- Irma huffed and crossed her arms on her chest. "Why did you come with us anyway? I thought you were angry with the Oracle; you should've stayed home with Julian and your son. -"

"Kadma, Irma makes a point."- Halinor quickly spoke as she heard her name. "We were all there, yet we could not react. Phobos acted too unexpectedly, and what happened next ..."- she paused. "I mean the Queen's oath. -"

She didn't finish her sentence, as she saw the girl shrink even more in her robe. Halinor felt truly sorry for her, and she didn't need to be dragged anymore for what she did. After all, Halinor herself had committed a mistake similar to hers in the past, by deciding to steal the powers of the guardians from their Aurameeres during a particularly serious battle...

"Yes, Irma, you see, that's why I take no part in this argument."- Nerissa spoke for the first time since their arrival in Kandrakar. She was walking in the front, a decisive frown on her face. "I don't want to waste any of my energy or words on this, really, because we all know whose fault everything is. The idiot who swore to release her brother, even though she knew very well that it was disastrous. I'm starting to think that she did it on purpose, alone and only to discourage people with regard to my taking of a position. Anyways..."

"You conscienceless woman!"- Miriadel suddenly yelled, tears rolling down her cheeks. She had to protect her daughter's name no matter what, Elyon had done what she had done with best intentions and this bitch knew it...She was just taking advantage of the turn of events as usual. "Elyon agreed on Phobos's terms because she was thinking of your grandson! She wanted to save him, have you no shame?"

Nerissa merely turned around to gift the redhead with an almost repulsed side look:

"Why did these people have to come is beyond me, Caleb. They have no connection to Kandrakar or _use_ to anyone here."

"They're here to take care of their daughter, you see."- Kadma interjected spitefully. "They need to make sure that she doesn't make any other silly decisions with grave consequences tonight."

Nerissa smirked at that, as she caught a glimpse of Alborn shake his head and the whimper that escaped her Majesty's lips. Who cared if the Whelp cried? She had already done the deed, her useless remorse wasn't going to help Meridian, nor any of Phobos's targets.

"You two should talk about silly decisions with grave consequences."- Taranee rushed to the straw-blonde's aid. "We overcame the war which the two of you had for months, didn't we? We will overcome Phobos the same way. There's no need of being so melodramatic."

Taranee eyed the two former guardians, glad that they didn't speak up again. Given all their mistakes, she didn't think that they were the ones to judge Elyon for what she had done. Besides, her brother's unsolved case further fueled the fire guardian's hostility towards the tall ex-keeper.

Finally, after what seemed like an endless corridor, the group had made it to the hall. The tall pure walls and gates greeted them with their usual sense of magnificence.

"Stop there."- they were greeted by Tibor and his raised hand. "State your business."

Irma made a face, but Will made her way to the front before she, Nerissa or anyone else for that matter, could take the word and present them as a barbaric tribe once again:

"Hello, Tibor. Sorry, we're uninvited, _again_, but we have to talk to the Oracle. A problem has aroused."

"All of you?"- the bearded man cocked a bushy eyebrow. He didn't like the sight of so many former enemies to the council present.

"Merdian is in danger."- Caleb answered harshly before the redhead could continue. "It's quite urgent for all of us to be here."

"You heard my son, Tibor."- Nerissa ticked off a black lock with a provocative expression. "Move and let us in, or I'll else I'll just have to move you myself."

Will frowned, as they all walked in. The man had obviously shown them understanding, but Nerissa had once again managed to show her horns for everyone to see. She always felt ashamed by her actions and words, each time they were together at Kandrakar. The elders' judging looks were always directed at her and her friends after the ex-keeper's scenes.

"Welcome my friends. I've been expecting you."- they heard and saw Himerish levitate near the center of the hall, with his back turned to the entrance they had just used.

Kadma fought the urge to snort as she heard that line. Of course, he had expected them. That darned man had a few ready one-liners which he used each time. How she hated him. And she wasn't the only one in the room with similar feelings for him. Cornelia and Irma also looked at him distrustfully, while Nerissa chose to pretend that the man wasn't even there.

"Oracle, a terrible thing happened on Meridian a few hours ago."- Will began. "To sum it all, Phobos is out and we think that he isn't alone. Someone was helping him the entire time, he must have allies out of prison because his escape plan was almost perfect..."

"He launched an attack with an army of prisoners that were broken out of Cavigor, sir."- Taranee added. "We don't know what to think anymore, we require your guidance..."

_Good luck with that_, Kadma thought viciously, as Halinor held her under the arm, humbled and afraid to stand before her former sage master again. _Expecting guidance from Himerish is like trying to illuminate your way with a wet candle._

_Oh, how eloquent you are, dear friend. I'd say something similar,_ Nerissa tuned in the mind conversation amusedly. Upon making up with each other, she and her four friends had further revived that means of connection which they had shared in the past, much like the present guardians. Telepathy.

"By the desires of fate, a new problem is now facing you, and you have to face it back boldly and in harmony, guardians. Old cases of enmity are most difficult to deal with, yet you shall make an attempt."- The Oracle spoke as he got to his feet. "An attempt to serve justice, as always. It brings me joy to see all of you, with the exception of our young Air friend, and three of our most talented former guardians together against this issue. Together, all of you may be able to defeat Phobos. But it will not be easy, for unity is not enough. It never is. Hope, faith, and hard work are equally as important for accomplishing this task. Phobos's strategy remains a mystery to me, as I am unable to sense his presence on Meridian, but we will keep in touch. I sense hard times coming, girls. Times that require your biggest talents."

_That's exactly what I fear,_ Will looked down despondently. She had really wished for this day to never come, yet she wasn't surprised that it did. The Heart had warned her that a villain was going to make a comeback, the same way it had warned her about Nerissa during the spring. This time Will had read its signal correctly, almost entirely ... what remained for the next time, though she sincerely hoped that it wouldn't be any time soon, was for her to learn how to prevent what she has been warned about...

"Now, I would like you all to return to Earth and fall back into the routine, guardians. All except Taranee, her Majesty Queen Elyon, and the ex-guardians. I would like to have an additional word with them."- Himerish spoke up, as a fold opened near him.

"But Oracle, we still have so many questions about Phob..."-Irma began protesting, but the meaningful smile the man gave them, almost nudging them to walk through the fold, had her shut up.

"All in time, Irma. All in its time."

"Meridian is under great threat. When would be a better time to talk about it than now?!"- Caleb couldn't hold back, he glared at Himerish, winning himself a few reproachful looks from random council members who attended.

"Let's go, Caleb."- Cornelia huffed. "We need to be with our son."

"Cornelia, I can never just stand calmly while Meridian is threatened by Phobos!"- the man objected. "How can the Oracle just be asking us to leave."

"Caleb, I'm sure that the Oracle will give us some clue of how to deal with the problem...eventually."- Taranee, who was getting impatient, interjected. She wanted to hear what the seer had to say to her, as it was possible to be something about Peter.

Caleb wasn't ready to oblige though, he made his way to his mother and pulled her aside.

"I don't like this, maa. He's just playing games with so many destinies...All these people back in Meridian need our help, we can't just stay home and do nothing. -"

"My dear son, don't be surprised. That's what he always does. Playing with people's destiny "- Nerissa lowered her voice as she threw a glance over her shoulder. "But if we want to get to action sooner, we have to obey him. Yes...I know, I don't like the idea either, but sometimes, sweetie, one must compromise with one's tenets in order to achieve..."

"Can you leave this talk for after we're done? Kandrakar manners kind of take precedence over mom-son lectures."

Nerissa turned to glare at Taranee before turning back to Caleb again.

"Let me finish with this and then we'll talk back home. Otherwise, the little nerdy mermaid will drive me insane."

"Respected Oracle, could we please stay with our daughter. After what happened she needs us."-Miriadel pleaded, but the Oracle raised a hand with a warm face:

"She will be fine, I assure you. It's necessary that you all left for that to happen. Do have trust in Kandrakar."

"We do."- Alborn sighed, as he placed his hands on his wife's shoulders. "Elyon dear, we'll wait for in the castle. We are going to start taking measures against Phobos while you're here."

Elyon said nothing, she just sobbed sadly and nodded weakly.

"Let's go."- Will shot at a very reluctant Irma and Cornelia, who on the other hand, couldn't wait to leave Kandrakar. She walked through the fold with her head raised high, as to show Himerish and the Council members just how insignificant they were to her at that moment.

Eventually, Caleb followed them too, although angry, as Will waited to see him go in front of her, before walking in the fold, getting it closed behind herself.

After that, the seer sent the rest of the remaining council members out of the big hall. He made a barely visible signal at Tibor, who nodded discreetly and hid from sight.

Kadma waited with arms folded on her chest, and growing impatience. She hated to be here, she hated dealing with this cloud-based shutter and all who lived here, especially after having been put to sleep and kept here against her will by all these horrible people, for an entire week ... They deserved to suffer a lot more than the people of the _erstwhile_ Queen Elyon, whose fate was unfortunately blackened yet again.

"I asked you all to stay here with me, as I have some things to discuss with each of you ladies. We shall begin with her Majesty, Queen Elyon."- Himerish started calmly with his sleeves in each other. "I can understand the grave danger and big oppression which you feel, and to my misfortune, I cannot do much to help you at this stage. But what I can do is take your nanny to rest here in one of our towers. The Algid Tower will preserve her body and give you time to find the right way to wake her up."

"What? You mean that she might live? Phobos didn't kill her?"- Elyon exclaimed as she wiped some tears away. "But..."

"No, your Highness, Galgheita is not dead. Or at least not for good."- the man replied softly. "The effects of the murderous spell your brother has cast on her, have been altered on time. She is now cursed to remain in a slumber-like state, up until someone manages to wake her from it. But that is not an easy job, which is why I'm going to have her placed in the Algid Tower."

"Elyon, so you did manage to save her from death after all."- Halinor smiled through tears, happy to hear that the other woman wasn't destroyed by the tyrannical man after all. "You saved her life."

Elyon wiped a new set of tears, but this time such of happiness, as she looked at Galgheita' body with love. This woman was like a closest relative to her, she meant so much to her...One of the few people which actually loved her, and the fact that she could still live brought her great joy.

"Don't worry, Galgheita. I will find a way to wake you up."- the young Queen whispered. "I promise you."

Nerissa rolled her eyes, as two elders appeared and took the bubble with Galgheita inside, to move it to the given Algid Tower. It wasn't that she wasn't happy that the old kangaroo could live again, she didn't care that much, but seeing Elyon praised made her blood boil. Was there really a reason to praise this stupid Whelp after what she had done to Meridian on her own? She was simply inadequate to be Queen and that was that. -

"Oh, _fabulous_ news, she saved old Galgheita! Too bad she couldn't save her kingdom and people also."

Halinor placed her hand on the raven-haired woman's shoulder meaning to calm her down. Nerissa met her gaze but said nothing more.

"Til we meet again, Queen Elyon."- Himerish went on gently. "Go home and rest. You will need all your strength for what lies before us all."

It didn't take the young monarch long to bid her goodbyes and leave, at least somewhat relieved. Kadma followed her with a critical eye. Yes, it was true that she had become queen at an older age, yet she had always been much more decisive and stronger. Elyon was just...unstable. And though she couldn't fully justify Nerissa's hatred for the young woman, Kadma could understand her. A nodal point in the Universe such as Meridian, required someone much more durable and powerful. Someone like them. If she had had a son, she could have married him to the Escanor Queen in order to obtain control over Meridian and save the realm... But a union between Zamballa and Meridian was quite unlikely. Her people weren't fond of people-_people_. They preferred other flora... Lost in her thoughts, the former guardian almost flinched as she heard Himerish's voice go on yet again:

"Taranee, your brother has been on my mind lately, and though I am not supposed to interfere in his fate, I did manage to explain the circumstances surrounding this legend you received.**(check Heart of a Mother ch39)** That being said, there is someone here who owes you an apology.

On the verge of something that was about to be a great development, Taranee could feel her stomach turning with excitement. Instinctively, she looked at Nerissa, but the apology didn't come out of her mouth.

"I sent this fragment from the Forbidden Wing to you, fire guardian. And I apologize."

Taranee stared in disbelief as the cat woman walked to stay next to the Oracle with a lowered head. Luba had done this to her, and she had been caught. The keeper of the Aurameeres, the one who they trusted with their powers... But why?! Taranee was left speechless, Nerissa sneered barely audible, but Kadma took things in her hands:

"Would you look at that, Kandrakar's chosen ones are increasingly proving to be complete liars."- she shot. "You did this to try to ruin Cassidy and Nerissa's happiness by framing them for some nonsense which isn't even substantial. Which is a lie! Filthy..."

"I did what I did in justice's name."-Luba interrupted her sharply." Nerissa and Cassidy violated every possible rule. You did too, of course, but punishing you wasn't a potential option. You two have nothing. -"

"I'm glad that you have _something_, Luba, your dissatisfaction and malice, that is!"- everyone, even the Oracle, turned to Halinor in surprise. She was glaring at Luba, screaming: "We have each other, we have our friendship and you stay away from us! Make an attempt to harm us again, and no one will be able to protect you!"

"You can't scare me, you blatant criminal."- the keeper of the Aurameeres bared her fangs. "You're not the one to raise fingers at me either, after all you did..."

"Luba."- Himerish's warning voice thundered.

Luba looked down again and forced her humility:

"I apologize, fire guardian. Your brother isn't a part of this, and I do apologize for making him that in my attempt to bring justice."

"You _apologize_?! You think that a simple apology fixes this?"- Taranee had finally regained her ability to speak and she wasn't giving her replies smoothly. "You made my brother suffer, Luba, how dare you?! All this time I blamed Cassidy, but it was your fault all along. You made a fool out of me...You _bitch_!"- she attacked her then and there, not even bothering to use magic. Not even bothering to cringe at the irony of her own words. Luba didn't expect it, she didn't even fight it, she could only choke as Taranee tightened her hands.

Nerissa watched with a growing smile. Seeing Luba being attacked was priceless, especially after all she had had to go through because of her poisoning the cowardly, but dangerous, lawyer's daughter. Taranee was furious and she wasn't going to spare the real culprit for what she had done to Peter...

"Taranee, calm down, you don't understand."- the Oracle exclaimed as he managed to pull the fire guardian away from his servant's neck. "Peter's condition has nothing to do with Cassidy or Luba. What Luba did was fool you to believe in cock-and-bull stories, yet she did bring your brother no harm."

Taranee stopped raging as confusion took over her features yet again. She turned and saw Nerissa's "I told you so" smug look, Kadma's cold expression, and Halinor's concerned face. They knew as much as her if they even cared. Nerissa didn't, most probably, now that Cassidy's innocence had been proven, the fire guardian suspected that she could as well back off her word.

"B-but, but then why is Peter like this?"- she asked in a tiny voice. "His depression? What causes it if not any of the things which I suspected?"

"I think that you already know."- Luba didn't miss the chance to strike at her wound. "You may be clever, yet you easily believed the alternative ending, which means that your judgment is clouded. Think well, fire guardian, and ask yourself: what could truly be the reason for your brother's unrest? I think that all would find the answer to that, particularly_ intriguing_."- the keeper finished with a gaze full of odium directed straight at Nerissa, who looked back at her with narrowed eyes.

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

Luba smiled eagerly, and was about to strike her triumphant blow of a reply when the Oracle interrupted her:

"You're dismissed, Luba."- he stated sternly. "Off to atoning now."

"Oh, so you're still keeping her here after this deed. That's a fine decision for sure."- Kadma's voice thundered, stopping the cat woman in her tracks. She looked over her shoulder and slid a hateful glare over the former guardians, waiting for her master's words. He however didn't intend to answer to the Queen. He opened a new fold behind himself.

"Pathetic."- Kadma spat with disgust at his cowardly, by her standards, behavior.

"You may go, Taranee. You're near to ending your brother's problems, but for the last part of his healing, you still have to put one last piece of the puzzle in its place. I do believe that you can do it."

Taranee didn't even bother to ask twice, look back or protest against the uncertainty and secretiveness she was receiving. She just rushed through the portal, disappearing from sight.

Once the three former guardians were the last to remain in the hall, the man's smile turned into a wistful one. However, Kadma and Nerissa were not impressed and responded to this smile with icy grimaces:

"You may still be able to play games with these newbies, but we won't bring you the same satisfaction. We know all your low passions."- Kadma stated with her arms crossed, never addressing him by his name or title. "That's why it'd be best if you speak essentially and do not waste our time."

"I will Kadma, I will."- Himerish assured her calmly. "I would appreciate your help. Join the council for one last teamwork task, former guardians. Help quarantine Meridian."

"You want to raise the veil again."- Halinor gasped, having made sense of his words.

"Same old songs in a new voice."- Kadma snorted with contempt. "Is that the best you have to offer?"

"Never."-Nerissa asserted sharply. "I will never help you do that again. Condemning all these people to be trapped together with Phobos again is tantamount to mass murder. I would never betray my son's trust by helping you do that. You hear me? _Never._"

"Nerissa, that is the only solution to the problem at this stage. Flatly said Kadma, it might not be the best, but it's the only thing which we can do."- the Oracle tried to reason with her unforgiveness. "If we do not take this step, we doom many other worlds to death and destruction. We ought to prevent a bigger crisis."

"Frankly, I do not care about other worlds."- Nerissa hissed. "I'm the Mage of Meridian, after all. Meridian and Earth- and that's where my duties and interests end. The rest of the Universe, well, sadly that falls your watchful eye, dear Oracle."

There was a grave silence. The elders who appeared again, obviously to follow their master's orders, began to look at each other and exchange meaningful whispers. Even Kadma and Halinor didn't call again. Nerissa lifted her head high and stared straight at the bald head of the man standing against her, thoughtfully thinking through his words, despite his brain being endlessly developed...

_'She claimed to have changed, to have redeemed herself and sins ... huh, please she's still the same!'_

_'Brutal egotist, she's ready to condemn everyone else to death in the name of her own interests!'_

_'Vile woman...'_

_'Dear brothers and sisters, have you ever expected anything else from Nerissa? The woman who killed her best friend?!'_

_'Once corrupted by power, always corrupted.'_

_'The wolf changes its coat, but never its nature!...'_

_'Murderess!'_

Not to turn against all these whispering cowards and destroy them, required great will on her part, but the former guardian kept her cool. After all, she had seen worse than the reproaches and comments of a gathering of miserable elders without any meaning behind their existence.

"I beg you to think rationally, Nerissa. You wanted to bring peace and good to everyone in the Universe, your purpose was noble, though misunderstood and ill-followed."- Himerish spoke firmly.

Her lips remained shut as she listened in tense reluctance. All that he hadn't estimated or valued back then, yet she let it slide. Noble. The last word which he had used to describe her with, ten years ago. Himerish went on:

"If you had long conquered the Universe today, as you previously intended to, wouldn't you do what is needed to protect people from all parts of it by raising a veil around Meridian?"

"No."- she stated in an earnest tone, watching his face drop.

She knew she was unpredictable. Himerish would always have a thing in mind with her, regardless of how broad-minded he pretended to be. She knew the Oracle would never underestimate her. Not after she had locked him in his own veil... and yet, once again, he invited her into his mystical link. Why? This question had a simple answer, and it obfuscated the ex-guardian's faith ..._ Despair_, she thought bitterly. True desperation pushed the almighty Himerish to have to rely on her, and that could only mean one extremely worrisome thing. The Phobos situation was more than critical. Much more than anyone of the others imagined.

"If I was the superior empress of the Universe, none of this would have happened in the first place, because Phobos would've been long dead."- Nerissa continued calmly. "And even if it did, by some miraculous cause, I wouldn't lose time in bothers for my subjects with a meaningless veil. I would find him and terminate him. Which I will still do, despite the fact that I'm simply the Mage of Meridian."

Kadma and Halinor exchanged glances. That was a pretty big statement, their friend had just made, yet they didn't say anything. She didn't blame them, she expected the idea of a veil to seduce and satisfy them. Nerissa couldn't blame the others, especially those she loved, for thinking in pieces.

"What if we were to tell you that Phobos is currently not on Meridian."- Tibor intervened. "Would that change up things and your opinion of raising the veil another time?"

Nerissa raised an eyebrow and stared at the white-haired man in front of her. Ignoring the slight flicker that was seen even in him as her eyes burned through his soul, she thought over his words. The silence this time was more than absolute.

"You can't know that. You can't prove it."- her green eyes flickered victoriously, but this time Himerish returned his brilliant smile:

"This is where you're wrong, Nerissa. I can prove it."

"Then_ do_ prove it."

The Oracle smiled even wider, before turning to Tibor who nodded with understanding. Nerissa watched as the old right-hand man conjured a flaming chronicle whose oil-green fires turned into a ball-map in front of the whole assembly.

"Meridian."- Nerissa observed.

"That's a model of the planet, what of it?"- Kadma spat. "You can't locate Phobos, can you?"

"Not quite."- Himerish admitted. "But I can still prove that he is currently not in the realm, which is exactly why we must hurry, my friends. But of course, first, the proof which you require. Ten years ago, when Queen Elyon decided to keep her brother in prison after the events of the war with Phobos and Cedric, I knew I had to take more serious measures against a future such huge threat, which the Prince would forever remain to be."- the seer narrated. "I gave her a small signet. Much like mine, only with a different function."- and he pointed to the small image of a sphere pierced by broken lightning, tattooed on his own head. "This image, when drawn over a map, will light up if the prince is on Meridian territory. It can be done with my tattoo, the Heart of Kandrakar, and even with your ring, Nerissa. For it once belonged to the ancient one, who was connected to Meridian by all physical and non-physical laws... Here, try it for yourself. Draw this signet over the map."

Deep-localizing magic. She had read about it. It was similar to the tracking spell she had used on Blunk's tooth to track his folds years ago. Only in this case, the presence of the symbol in the borders of a certain territory could be traced with a magical object connected to the concerned realm. Nerissa drew the symbol without thinking twice and waited impatiently. All eyes were on the pierced sphere, which sharply lost all its light and remained hanging on the globe like a faintly drawn outline.

_The insane brat is no longer on Meridian,_ the ex-guardian pondered. _But where the hell is he hiding then?! This only makes matters ten times worse!_

"So, Mage. Now that I've assured you in the accuracy of my judgment, will you give me your hand?"- Himerish smiled amicably. "Join Kandrakar's mystic link and help us protect Meridian from any future invasions and attacks by Phobos. I promise you; Power acquired by violence is only a usurpation, and lasts only as long as the force of him who commands prevails over that of those who obey."

* * *

**_A/N: Merry Christmas, guys! To all of you who celebrate Christmas, I hope that your day has been delightful. Wish you all a very merry season full of light, love, and good health. Lots of good wishes!_**

**_You may want to reread the first two chapters in order to be able to keep up with the course of the story, haha. Don't forget to share your comments too. See you again very soon. :)_**


	4. My Ghosts are Gaining on Me

_Chapter 4: My Ghosts are Gaining on Me_

_"__Like a play of my obsessions,_  
_make me understand the lesson:_  
_So I'll find myself,_  
_so I won't be lost again..."_

_\- Evanescence, 2006_

* * *

**_The Hidden Mansion, 9:30, local time_**

The rich aroma of hearty breakfast, coffee, and essential oils flowed right up to the high ceilings of the spacious mansion hidden in the ridge of the great mountain.

The bright morning light shone through the heavy gold curtains in the room where the man had woken up, buck-naked, and _pleased_ for the first time in years. He yawned and stretched lazily, as a smug smile started to dance on his lips once he saw the doors open to let his young, honey-haired, tanned mistress in.

"Morning, my King."- she sang. "I've prepared breakfast for you. I know how much you like black coffee."

"I do."- the man admitted as he got into a more comfortable position. "I also just adore good news, my squeeze."

"Queen. I'm your _Queen_."- the girl corrected him in annoyance, but still left the tray she was carrying aside and settled in his lap. "Don't forget that."

"Of course you are."- the man assured her while playing with the strap of her dress. "You will be, once everything falls in its place. We will both be happy. Together."

That reply seemed to satisfy the honey-haired beauty because she smiled sweetly and kissed her lover.

"I can't wait."- she whispered. "By the way, there is good news for us."

"Do tell, my Queen."- these words caught the man's attention.

The girl brushed her fingers through her long hair before her smile went from wide to ominous, as she spoke in a dreamy voice:

"The servants returned and reported. A few hours ago, the divider returned around Meridian. After so many years, they are completely isolated from the other worlds again. Just as we wanted, my King."

"Perfect."- the man laughed approvingly, and his laughter grew into sinister rumblings that merged with the woman's high-pitched giggles. "These fools think that they have successfully protected their precious world. They think they are now leading the war. What a beautiful delusion. It makes it all so much better for us."- he grinned before rapturously sealing his lips over the young girl's lips and throwing her into bed with him, letting his long fingers tear her clothes apart, to the sounds of her pleased giggles and squeals.

* * *

**_Heatherfield…._**

Taranee abruptly parked in front of the new café and hastily grabbed her purse from the front seat. She took one last look at her phone to make sure that this was the right place before getting out of the car, slamming its door shut, and locking it behind herself in the matter of two seconds. She was in a hurry. She wanted to end this. She wanted to catch them. Had they absolutely no shame? She was going to get into a huge fight with both of them- for doing all they were doing. _Again_. But this time that the circumstances were ever more demanding, she was going to give them a piece of her mind for good.

The October weather and the early setting sun weren't going to stop her, because although the month was already halved, the temperatures were still warm and the guardian immediately located her brother on one of the outer tables, the furthest one away from the rest.  
_How convenient_, the fire guardian thought angrily and headed forward.

"Wow, sis?"- Peter exclaimed, as he eventually saw her coming with a quick step. "What are you d..."

"Don't 'sis' me, Peter."- Taranee interrupted him furiously as she slammed her hands against the table making her brother blench. "Where is she?"-she demanded. "Where the hell is she?!"

"Sis, calm down, will you. I don't know what you're even talking about. I'm here by myself, just getting a sip before gym."- Peter tried to explain, but his sister wouldn't listen. She pointed at the second glass on the table accusingly, before yelling:

"Don't even lie to me, Peter. I don't need to follow her here to know that you're not alone. I can see the other drink on the table! So better tell me where did Cornelia hide, or else I'm telling mom everything. I'm going to tell her _everything_, I swear!"

The young man saw himself in wonder. Not knowing how to explain himself and what exactly to say, he was just gesturing when Taranее doubted these sudden swings of his and turned back.

"Oh, there you are, Ms. Hale."- she exclaimed. "Now you two will listen to me very carefully."- Taranee pushed her glasses back her nose and looked around herself to make sure that there weren't any people near.

"Taranee?!"- Cornelia, who had just returned from the restroom, threw her 'Gucci' bag over her shoulder and glanced at her friend in bewilderment. "So you really were driving behind me, I thought I saw you in the rearview mirrors!"

"That's right, Cornelia."- her friend confirmed bitterly. "You tried to ditch me, by taking some outer route with your insane driving, but it was pointless because I knew you were meeting Peter and I already had his number tracked down!"

"You've tracked down my phone number? Wow, sis."- Peter exclaimed from behind her, but the fire guardian turned around and waved her finger at him:

"You shut up, Peter. You disgust me! You're about to become a dad for God's sake! And you, Cornelia? You already have a son, but instead of being home with him, you come here to do this! I'm ashamed to know both of you!"

"Wait a second, Taranee."- Cornelia retorted. "What are you trying to say?"

"Oh, don't pretend with me, Cornelia, I knew everything when I saw Peter text you the other night. You gave me your phone when you wanted me to take pictures, remember?"

Cornelia opened her mouth to protest, but the other woman didn't leave her such an opportunity:

"Fine, I can understand why Peter would want to hook up with you again. Not really, but OK! I don't justify his actions, but he's a guy. Guys are naturally jerks. But you, Cornelia? You're a mother! You're engaged! You claim to love Caleb so much, yet apparently, it's all a lie! I guess that once a cheater, one always remains just that! A _filthy cheater_!"

"Taranee, you DON'T know what you're talking about!"- Peter stood up and shouted, but it was too late.

Affected by his sister's words, Cornelia stormed away with glistening eyes.

"Go to hell, Taranee!"

"Wait, Cornelia, don't go!"- the man wanted to go after her, but Taranee grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"Shame on you, Peter! She _should_ go home to her family; I don't care what she says to me as long as she goes back to where she belongs. What do you think that you're achieving by this?! This is not ten years ago when she could double-time Caleb with you when she'd grow bored!"- Taranee yelled. "Listen, depression, or no depression, you don't get to act like this, grab a hold of yourself before you sink in your shit!"

"Taranee, we weren't hooking up or seeing each other like that. You've got it all wrong!"- Peter groaned.

"Oh, yeah right, do I look like an idiot to you..."

"Right now, yes!"- he cut her off in rage. "Did you have any piece of fucking evidence that Cornelia and I are intimate or whatever before coming here today?"

Taranee paused and stared at her brother. Until a few minutes ago, she had been convinced that she was doing the right thing, but now suddenly red lights flashed in her head. Apart from seeing him text her friend and Luba's hint back in the Fortress, she didn't have any evidence...  
Still, that text she hadn't even gotten to read, she had only judged by Cornelia's reaction. And Luba had already tried to fool her once... Could have she...

"Peter, you're her ex-boyfriend, what was I supposed to think?"- Taranee snapped. "And it's largely your fault, your depression, your distant mood and peculiar actions over the last months have driven me from being rational to being a fanatic! You can't blame me for reacting like that, after everything...You NEVER came to share what's truly bothering you with me, even though you knew how much I worry!"

Peter exhaled deeply and tried his best to regain his composure:

"Fine sis, my attitude has been odd. I get it. Doubt me, but how could you doubt Cornelia like that, without even checking your facts first? She's one of your best friends."

Taken aback by that, the young woman tried to say something in reply, but her words failed her. Suddenly she saw a different reality of what had just happened and her role in it petrified her:

"I-I...I had the best intentions to help both of you, I didn't mean to...P-peter, this is not _fair_, OK? You have no idea what I've been through, especially in the last months after Cassidy told me everything! You've been acting weird. You stopped talking to me!"- she sobbed. "How do you think that made me feel? We've always been so close and chill, we used to tell each other everything, and all of a sudden some strange things start to happen with my b-brother and he won't even t-tell me!"-Taranee shook her head through tears. "That undermined the ground beneath me, big bro. It hurt me and made me forget my rational mindset-"

The young surfer sighed and placed his hands on her shoulders in a try to comfort her:

"'I'm sorry, sis, look, I get you. The situation is pretty mad. But, hey, you've got to admit: you've been hiding things from me as well. Why didn't you tell me about being a guardian, Taranee?"- he leaned and said in her ear, making the world spin in front of her eyes and every cell in her body fill with utter shock...

* * *

_**Lair family house, 6:15 PM**_

"So, Chris actually remembered he used to be a challenge for the Lord of the Abyss when he was only eight? (**I know, it's high time for me to get on with that story :D ) **Wow, Irma, why didn't you tell us earlier. This is fantastic!"- Hay Lin exclaimed in a bubbly tone.

"Don't blame me for forgetting, Hay. The kids' story developed positively. All the problems that aroused for us didn't leave me the time to even talk!"- Irma exclaimed. "From the fights with Phobos-Mobos, all the crises and whatnot, Corny and I completely forgot that Chris stressed us before the ball, invading the room with screams and an accusatory tone. But in the end, it was creme _dela-creme_."

She and her friend were at Irma's parents' house, making decorations for the coming holidays. Naturally, it was Hay Lin making the most of the decorations and Irma talking most of the time, but their team still functioned. They had already managed to prepare a lot of things for Irma's studio and the school, where Hay Lin was volunteering as a part of her monthly internship. With Halloween coming in less than two weeks' time, the young Air guardian couldn't think of a better thing to take up for additional credit. She was going to earn bonus points while doing something she enjoyed. What could be better than that?

"Yeah, I'm glad Meridian got the veil to protect them from Phobos. He is such a dork for what he did, taking advantage of Elyon like that. I'm so happy that he hasn't been seen anywhere for almost an entire week now."- Hay Lin spoke as she cut yet another pumpkin out of orange cardboard.

"Tell me about it."- Irma was having a much harder time trying to make her bat garlands. "It gets me to hope he has already kicked the bucket somewhere far away from here."

"As long as he doesn't cause trouble."- her friend reasoned, being the less hard-hearted among them.

Irma snorted as she threw a jealous glance at Hay Lin's creations. Apart from all the little pumpkins, bats, black cats, etc., adorned to the smallest detail, the Asian had already managed to build a significantly large, glowing haunted house, made of different papers.

"Alright, DIY queen, I want a copy of that for my studio."- Irma announced, as she hastily gathered her long hair in a messy bun. "By the way, I'm thinking of cutting my hair again. I know Corny is going to kill me, but this thing is just too much of a pain in the ass."

"Noo, you look fantastic, Irma. Don't touch your hair!"- the Air guardian exclaimed. "Or I'm not going to make you a haunted house."

"Fine, fine!"

"Here."- Hay Lin smiled pushing the ready model to the front. "Take this one, I'll put together another one for the school."

"Aww, thanks Hay-Hay, you're the best!"

"Don't mention it. Hey, tell me more about Chris and Lillian. How did they work out their relationship after coming to realize about magic and everything."- the Asian girl asked, working her paintbrush.

"Ah, they're working it alright, as I've said many times, there's nothing which good sex can't solve."- Irma declared as she absently played with the scissors. "Which they, believe me, have like all the time! Pervy kids these days... At least they're both finally 18."- and she coughed. "Anyway, we think that Lillian's powers growing over the last months have unknowingly unlocked his suppressed memories. Now they're just both cool with what they possess as abilities and it's much easier for them. I think that we've gone a long way since Lillian freaked out, sending Cornelia flying up in the sky."

"You bet. I can imagine how light and free they must feel when they no longer have secrets between each other."- Hay Lin sighed. "It makes me think about me and Eric. I want to tell him so badly, but something pulls me back from doing it...it must be grandma's story about grandpa not believing her, but on the other hand, with every passing day, I get closer to that. She waited too long... I'm afraid that I've been waiting for too long already. I just don't know what to do."

Irma grunted something inapprehensible, but then looked up to her friend's worried face:

"Listen, Hay, Eric is not your grandpa. Not that I know your grandpa or anything, but I feel that Eric is someone much more...ready to believe. In you, most of all. But if you don't feel entirely ready to tell him your secret, then don't...I know, it's shocking to hear that from me, I did good for myself by telling Martin. He's very supportive and we get along even greater ever since I told him about Kandrakar and all that...But Taranee on the other hand."- Irma hesitated for a moment. "It blows because she wanted Nigel to know, and now that he does, she's pulling away. She made a mistake, if you ask me, _several_ mistakes, which I don't want you to repeat. So yeah, my advice is to listen to your instincts closely, you have good hearing anyway, and they'll be sure to tell you when to get down and tell your boyfriend about our guardian business."

Hay Lin let a small smile spread across her lips upon hearing Irma's words. She rarely spoke without a hint of humor, even on serious manners, so it had definitely been inspiring and uplifting to listen to her last words.

Just when the Air guardian was about to suggest for them to take a break from making decorations to have something to eat, Irma's phone rang with one of Carmilla's newest singles.

"Speaking of the devil."- the Latina smirked as she picked up. "Irma Lair's craft shop, how can I help you, Ms. Cook? Would you like to order your very own custom-made Halloween vibrator?"- Hay Lin giggled, but as she watched Irma's smile quench after a few long moments of silence, she herself felt the joy leave her body.

Her sensitive ears had already picked up on their conversation, she didn't even need to ask. Once Irma put her phone down, Hay Lin just nodded at her with understanding and nodded at the table before them:

"Let's leave this for later, Irma. Taranee sounded upset, she will need all our attention. Where are you going?"

"To get my dad's whiskey."- Irma retorted as she vanished in the kitchen. "After what she did, poor Tara will need it to make peace with herself."

**_Caleb&cCornelia's house, 6:30 PM_**

"With the veil back around Meridian, the standard ways of transportation are not in question anymore. The Heart of Kandrakar can open and close portals, but they won't just start appearing on their own only two days later. The guardians won't have to worry about fixing holes for a while, which is why I took this."- Caleb finished his words by waving the familiar map scroll in the air.

"The map which the former guardians and the present guardians have used during the years of the first veil."- his father noted. "But how is that useful with us, Caleb, when without the Heart of Kandrakar the scroll remains blank. As a matter of fact, this map is a much more useful weapon in Will's hands than in ours. -"

"I know, dad, that's why I've just borrowed it."- the younger man was quick to explain, as he paced around the dining room. "Look, if we can shape the veil before returning this, we could hide a portal in the basement of this very house, connected to the palace in Meridian. This way we will be able to maintain a constant connection between the two worlds and hold the position on both fronts."

Julian estimated his word in silence for almost an entire minute. By the time he looked up to reply again, Caleb had already made five new circles around the room:

"But we can't shape the veil without the Heart either...what is more, once it gets altered by a magical force, it becomes much easier for other people to manipulate it for their own benefit as well. At least that's what has happened when Yan Lin tried to use the Heart of Kandrakar to cross through the veil and help people in Meridian through Phobos' first attacks back in the day."

"Did mom tell you that?"

Julian nodded and watched his son's face curve into a tense grimace. Although seemingly calm at the moment, the situation created by the Evil Prince's escape perturbed all of them.

"How is she, she looks different ever since returning from Kandrakar. Did she tell you anything about what took place there after I left?"

After that question, the veteran rebel looked down somewhat despondently, as he stirred in his chair. That didn't go unnoticed by Caleb, who was quick to add:

"I knew the Oracle would do something to hurt her with again."- he growled. "I never should have listened to him."

"Look son, we cannot and should not be in direct conflict with Kandrakar and the Oracle, but your mother... She's indeed rather upset, she even rejected me these last two nights. -"

"What? You mean like..."- Caleb began awkwardly, but thankfully he didn't need to go on. His father nodded with the same uneasiness, forcing himself to smile.

"Well, that sure doesn't sound like her normal self at all."- the rebel leader sighed and finally took a seat around the dining room table. "And this sucks balls because I wanted to ask her to try using her powers and the Mage ring to open the portal to Meridian."

"Will refused the idea, didn't she."

Caleb made a face as he rolled and unrolled the map in his hands.

"I haven't asked her. But yeah, I don't think she'll be keen on the idea. That's why I wanted to talk to mother first. But listening to your words I lose hope."

Julian reached to place a hand on his son's shoulder:

"Whatever trials and tribulations await us, son, I am convinced that we will pass through them, and together, we will restore the serenity and happiness of Meridian. The divider is only a temporary solution, and even if we cannot cross it for a while, we have to believe that everything will be fine. Rationally speaking, there is currently no cause for concern anyway, isn't that so?"

Behind the threshold separating the dining room from the modern living room, Nerissa leaned against a wall and sighed deeply. She had heard almost their entire conversation. They had to hear her too before she fell into a stalemate. _Again_ ...

_I believe that dreams are sacred,_  
_take my darkest fears and play them-_  
_Like a lullaby..._  
_Like a reason why..._  
_Like a play of my obsessions,_  
_make me understand the lesson:_  
_So I'll find myself,_  
_so I won't be lost again..._

_"Join the mystic link. Helps us make the Universe safe again. Help us protect Meridian and Earth."-his words still echoed in her ears after it was all done- the veil had been raised. It had taken a huge portion of her energy - that was the price she had to pay as a functioning patron of the dimension around which the bases of the divider were being built, which, stronger than ever, was beyond the power of the entire Kandrakar unity without their help. The former guardians were needed again. If it wasn't ironical, it would've meant something to her. Her strength was so drained afterward, that Halinor had to support her to stop her from falling. Still, if Phobos couldn't get on the planet anymore, it was worth it. Even if the former heart-holder was leaving the mystic circle more drained than anyone else._

_"It has been done, my friends."- Himerish assured them with a smile. "You may all retreat to your chambers and meditations, for the new dual veil around both Meridian and Earth has been established. This new veil is upgraded, it no longer seals all passageways around our Fortress. Phobos, on the other hand, wherever he is, will not be able to access these two realms where most of his targets are located. We did our job perfectly, I would say."_

_"Let's leave."- Kadma turned to her friends. "I don't enjoy listening to this man at all. There's always something wily in his actions."_

_"We can't fold to Earth; the Oracle needs to open a portal."- Halinor reminded her. "But I agree that we have to go. Nerissa needs her rest, while we need to get to Fadden. As it will obviously be our only home for as long as Phobos is recaptured."_

_"We won't be able to commute to Zamballa or anywhere else for that matter."- Kadma agreed grimly. "I sure hope that all this isn't to no purpose."_

_Halinor moved her concerned gaze from her raven-haired friend to Kadma and her stone-like expression._

_"It shall not be."- she murmured uncertainly, before raising her voice up: "Oracle, if we're done here, we're ready to leave. Please send us to Heatherfield."_

_Himerish, Luba, and Tibor, being the last elders to remain in the hall halted their quiet _impromptu _meeting._

_"There is just one more thing before I let you go, former guardians."- the seer said as he turned to them once more, but the obligatory 24 carat smile was not on his face, to the blonde's dismay. "Nerissa, I am afraid I must ask you to hand the Heart of Aridia to me."_

_There was an ominous silence that seemed to hit the white walls, returning like a sinister blizzard of the non-existent wind. Nerissa struggled to keep her eyes open and fixated them on her once supervisor. At that moment, she hated him with all her being, ever more than usual, if that was even possible. He had tricked her. He had made a fool out of her._

_"What?!"- Kadma exclaimed in outrage, rushing to her aid. "Of all the feeble-minded decisions, this has to be the one which gets to be the victor! Why didn't you ask her to do that back when you lured us here? Why now when she clearly needs the power to protect both herself and the many others around her?"_

_"Oracle, excuse me, but I am also flabbergasted by this and I fail to understand it."- Halinor confessed bitterly. "Why strip Nerissa of her power now that she has proven herself as a worthy alley and Mage?"_

_"First of all, she has done no such thing."- Luba began with rage. "And second, it was a matter of time for this thief to be invited to return what she has taken from a realm that is dying without the source of its power-"_

_"Nobody is asking you, you delusive aphis."- the Queen of Zamballa interrupted her angrily and glared at the Oracle. _

_He had his eyes closed the entire time, a deep rueful look on his face. What a joke he was. Kadma was just about to yell at him when Tibor took the word first:_

_"The wise one's decision does not lie in the trust the Council has for Nerissa, but in the fully understandable for you reasons, that require Aridia to get its source of mystic power back. The Mage has violated the abilities of this heart, it is not the Heart of Kandrakar to have infinite power. First the conquest of the legendary serpent, then the protective field over an entire capital ... such actions that use up an enormous fraction of magic, inadvertently, of course, led to Aridia's critical condition, and if we want to save it, we must return the heart to its territory."_

_"And then the new veil."- Nerissa finished the list piercingly, throwing a hateful glance forward. "That demolished the last wall holding the Aridian energy in this jewel, which was why you insisted that I join you in this endeavor, right, Himerish? You used and tricked me."_

_Her friends stared at her, astounded. Halinor's astonishment growing into horror, and Kadma's- into anger. She really wanted to make that bald man pay when he uttered his next reply:_

_"You know that this wasn't my intention, Nerissa. The veil wouldn't have been possible without you taking part in the spell, that was why I asked you to join us. Did I know that it will result in this? Yes, I did. But it wasn't what I wanted to achieve and it never will be. It was a natural consequence, which I could foresee, yet not prevent. As you can see, I had no problem in particular with you being sole guardian of a greater power. It seems that it was just not meant to be, and as you know I can't intervene in fate's ways..."_

_"This is the second Heart you take away from me."- the woman interrupted him bitterly. "First the Heart of Kandrakar, all these years ago, now this...But you know what? This time I will give it back to you willingly, as this one did not choose me or have a special connection with me. There really is no reason for Aridia to die."- and she made the jewel appear in her hand. It was almost entirely devoid of its amber lights and energy when the ex-guardian threw it at Himerish._

_He caught it effortlessly, giving her an empathetic, yet firm look. A look she hated._

_"Thank you for understanding the situation, Nerissa. You saved a lot of time and effort on all of us."_

_"Oh, I merely saved my time, Oracle, from wasting in on you. I would not consider doing that again, that is for sure. Not when I have a grandson and close people to be with."- Nerissa shook her head. "Take this and save that lifeless planet Aridia from crumbling down to pieces. I couldn't care less. But know that I will not stop in front of anything and anyone. I will obtain power again, because I am destined to have it, no matter how hard you try to weaken me up. I was chosen to be powerful. By fate, that is, not by you. And yours is only the blessing that I've decided to use this fortunes of mine for good. "- when she finished her explosive speech, he had been left to look at her with something that resembled a small smile._

_Luba, on the other hand, reacted negatively, after breaking off of staring at the sorceress in super faction, together with the white-bearded man:_

_"Insolent witch, that is why you'll always remain a menace to the Universe! How dare you speak like that to the Oracle..._

_But Nerissa was done with irrelevant people for the day. She was done with fighting and struggling. She had to rest. She had to gather strength and start a new, better power quest which was going to help her keep her word to Caleb. Which was going to help her live the life she wanted._

Little had she known that days later, not only would she not have gathered the strength she needed, but she would also feel worse like she hadn't in a long time. Weak. Depressed. One gave meaning to the other, but most of all she hated the fact that she felt these terrible emotions even though she now had everything she had ever wanted. She had won so much and had lost only one amulet. One little trinket known as the Heart of Aridia. She hated how that loss reflected on her whole being and determined her condition, even though it did not have the power to. She knew _she_ was the one allowing herself to go through this- the lack of greater magical power was something she was letting take away the glow of her life, and she hated herself for it.

Nerissa took a deep breath. Her ghosts were gaining on her, but she had to fight them...She had to fight the false feeling of a void that she knew had no place in her heart, but rather in her desire for power. _No, that would be foolish. Why fight the ghosts_, she suddenly realized and managed to smile for the first time in days. _When I can side with them._

* * *

**_Olsen pet store, 7:00 PM_**

Will Vandom sighed with exhaustion as she wiped the counter one last time. The long workday, unfortunately busy, (something that was not very common for their pet store), the lack of food, and the stress around Phobos' recent escape, were all factors threatening to make her lose her mind. On top of everything, she had to go help Matt out in the night club tonight, as she was officially their host now. She wasn't complaining though, it was something she had wanted. In fact, the few hours she would get to spend in 'Thunder Princess' would be the most fun and productive of her day.

And even though when sharing the news of her new job with her mother, Susan's reaction had been skeptical and even negative at first, Will strongly believed that with that she had finally got the strict woman to stop worrying her daughter would end up being broke and unfulfilled.

"_What are you telling me, that you'll be a dancer?!"- _Susan had exclaimed in horror upon hearing about the club job_. "A bartender? Please, Will, just don't tell me you're going to be a stripper!"_

_"No, mom, of course not!"- _Will had growled in response_. "Urgh! It's Matt's club, he'd never allow me to be a stripper anyway, even if I wanted...Why must you always say such things? I'm going to be a host, I'll manage the orders, the staff, I'll help Matt and Joel out. It's a pretty decent job, actually."_

Will rolled her eyes recalling that talk. But that had been almost two weeks ago. Two weeks ago, when life had been pretty easy. Easier than usual, actually. Back when Nerissa and the ex-guardians had finally been put into check and Phobos's problematics hadn't even suggested arising. The end of September had been a better time for all of them, but now she and the other guardians plus Meridian, Kandrakar, and all the other realms which were aware of the threat had been put on thorns once again. With the tyrant having gone into hiding somewhere unknown and the veil being raised once again, a decision which Will didn't have great opinions on, peaceful lifestyle as a maxima was out of question.  
Elyon's decision, her reckless and foolish act, was something that the redhead still could not make peace with either. Of all her naive mistakes, this one had to be the worst. An unforgivable one, almost, but Will wasn't going to comment on that anymore.

She had enough things to do as it was, Elyon could shove her gullibility up her ass, and after what she had done, Will couldn't care less. Wasn't she about to get married soon anyway? _Good for her._ Maybe her new husband could teach her some common sense if the entire Meridian court couldn't, for over 10 years.

Feeling how angry and bitter she had become, the young woman decided to forget all this and just get ready. She had to eat something and then head to the club anyway; the pet store was to be closed soon. _Finally,_ because all these animal noises were making her headache worse. The guardian pulled a pallet and a brow brush out of her bag and got to business. If she was to look presentable, she had to do something about the bags under her eyes too... Will scoffed at how puffy her eyelids were after another night of bad sleep, and was just combing through her lashes with the back of the duo-brow brush when she heard the bell above the door. They had to change up that old thing.

"Good evening, what can I help you with s... _Blunk_?!"- the monotonous voice she had originally used for the fixed-line she repeated all the time, suddenly had a note of pure bewilderment to it. "What are do...How are you? But..._Ah, Blunk_, how did you come to Heatherfield."- Will finally found the right words among all the stammering as she glanced at the passling that casually made its way to the rodent cages at the bottom of the store.

"Through portal! Blunk never forget smell of portal!"- he exclaimed. "Blunk thought Blunk should come and say hi to guardians before going on important businessman trip around Heatherfield junkyard!"

"A portal?"- Will exclaimed in response, not even bothering to scold the little creature for staring hungrily at the hamsters. "But that's impossible! How did this portal open so soon after the new veil was raised, it's extrinsic...it makes no sense!"

But Blunk just shrugged. It infuriated her, and the guardian growled. After so much time, he could be a little more accommodating to how they had to deal with crises like the one hanging over them right now. Maybe the situation on Meridian was currently peaceful and that had made Blunk feel safe and out of danger, but she knew better than that:

"OK, you know what, forget it, Blunk. Thanks to coming to me though, now that I know that there's an open portal in Heahterfield, I know I have to close it. Just tell me where you found it."

"Portal open in best friend Caleb's room in Infinite City. Blunk smelled it because Blunk spend lot of time in best friend Caleb's old house..."

"What!? Since when do portals open in the Infinite..."- Will growled again. This wasn't getting her anywhere. Her distress was increasing with every following minute. This veil had to stop Phobos from entering their realms, but that wasn't going to work out if all these random portals began appearing again. As far as she knew, portals only appeared after someone with greater power tried to manipulate the veil...at least it used to be like that when Phobos had been trying to cut through it during his reign. If Phobos was now hiding in an unknown dimension, but portals were still opening, and so soon, worst of all, then who was playing with the divider's stability?

"The other end of the portal, Blunk. Where did the other end of the portal lead you to? Where was it? Was it somewhere on the streets, the City Hall, by the river-"

"No, no."- Blunk shook his head enthusiastically. It was evident that he had fully recharged and would not stay in one place for long. "Portal led Blunk to basement. Caleb's new house basement, here _in Heahterfield!"_

* * *

**A/N: Last chapter for 2019. I decided to get it up now! Anyway, I wish you all a fabulous New Year's Eve and may 2020 be extraordinary, special, and blessed for all of us! **


	5. E is for Elaborate

_Chapter 5: E is for Elaborate_

**_"An old affront will stir the heart through years of rankling pain" - _**  
**_Jean Ingelow_**

* * *

"Guardian door-to-door plumber service. We're here to fix your leakage."- Irma's sarcastic words almost made the veteran rebel spit his last sip. Julian just stared at the three young women on the threshold without saying anything. How did they know?

"I told you it wasn't very funny, Irma. We're getting too old for this."- Hay Lin said as she walked in the house followed by her two friends, walking past Julian completely at ease.

"Talk about yourself, samurai bun. I'm a teen diva for life!"

"Enough fooling around."- Will interrupted them. "Julian, we're here to close the portal which has emerged in your basement. I'm sure you don't mind."- she said to the man, who had just closed the door behind them. "Then we won't be bothering you anymore. I know it's evening time and people like to relax-"

"Yeah."- Irma joined in. "And you probably want to take the D downtown..."

"Irma."- Will shut her up with a glare. "Anyhow, Julian, we're going downstairs."

But before they could head to the basement of the big house, Caleb came down the staircase from the upper floor, gently rocking his son in one hand. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and stared at the sight in front of him in disbelief:

"Guardians?"- he uttered. "But how..."

"Hi, Caleb. Don't worry, we're just here to close a portal. There's no trouble other than that."- Hay Lin smiled at him. "Is Cornelia home, by the way?"

"No... I thought she's with you..."- the rebel leader frowned causing Hay Lin to arch a brow, but before she could say anything else:

"That is a problem by itself."- Will said sharply. "It's not normal for a portal to open in the new veil so soon. We should hurry up."

"But how did you even find out."- the man huffed. "The map's not even in you."

Will narrowed her eyes at that:

"What is that supposed to mean? Wait a minute..."

"Caleb, I think that we should be honest with them."- Julian spoke his mind, but a new voice interjected in the conversation, cutting off his chance to do so:

"It means nothing."- the sound of sharp high heels foretold her appearance. "You can leave. Our portal shall not be closed."

"Our portal? You knew that there's portal?!"- Irma exclaimed and frowned as she saw the tall woman emerge from the dark dining room. "Well, isn't that _nice_."

"Of course I did, did you really imagine that a portal would open in the Mage of Meridian's house without her notice?"- and Nerissa laughed coldly. "Especially after I opened it-"

"I can't believe this woman."- Irma shook her head in a reprehensible manner.

"I knew that this wasn't a coincidence."- Will scoffed. "But why?! Why work on distorting the veil now, Nerissa? You do realize that Phobos is still a threat, right? And once slit, the veil will only become more and more unstable. What do you win from this?!"

"I helped raise this veil, you're not to tell me how to process with it when it was my magic that helped create it in the first place."- the ex-guardian stated icily. "Now hit the road. I'm in no mood to talk to any of you."

"Nerissa."- Julian scolded her.

"No, it was my idea."- Caleb announced, to the guardians' shock. "It's not her fault. I stole the map from Hay Lin's-"

"You've rummaged through my room?!"

"- Yeah, sorry about that."- and he scratched the back of his head. "I haven't read or touched anything inappropriate, don't worry. Anyways, I took the map and brought it here, because I wanted to establish a permanent passageway between Meridian and Earth. Look, the veil hinders me from going there on a daily basis, and as a part of the court and rebellion, I have to be able to travel to the Palace. Mother was only obliging my request by using her Mage Ring and the map to force a portal, she hasn't..."

"You're not obliged to explain yourself to them, Caleb."- Nerissa interrupted him and glared at the girls. "We're keeping this portal safe here and in the Infinite City, where no one will be able to find it, therefore it is completely secure. The rest is just them being pesky and putting their nose in other people's business."

"But one portal will cause others to start opening at random places again!"- Hay Lin reminded her. "It can get dangerous, that's why we..."

"Then so be it, what are you all for?"- Nerissa took the word back from her. "The guardians' original task has always been to keep something shielded, in your case, it's the veil. You'll go on closing all holes which will emerge in the veil, just like you've done in the past, it is really nothing _new_ to you, nor do I see why we need to discuss it. If you do your job there are going to be no problems, it's as simple as that."- her green eyes shone coldly.

"Wow. We worked so hard to become Guardians of the Infinite Dimensions and now we're downgraded to Guardians of the Veil again."- Irma noted sarcastically.

"Just the wheel of fortune, I guess. We all win and lose different things, differently, and at different times. Well."- the sorceress sneered harshly. "That's topic for a whole other time. Cheerio, W.I.T.C.H. Or should I say W.I.H."- and with that she left the setting, leaving even her son and husband quite dumbfounded. What had gotten into her again. Julian sighed and sank in the sofa. Phobos's escape had dampened his self-confidence too, he could understand his wife and part of what she was obviously going through, but what could've they done, really. The queen, whom he did not blame, had made some hasty decisions over which they could not have had power.

"Will, please understand me and let this portal be. We need to be able to commute to Meridian, otherwise things might get worse with time."- Caleb came close to the redhead and placed his free hand on her shoulder. "And pardon mom's anger, it's actually justified, the Oracle did something to her back on Kandrakar. Or so I suspect, but yes... Be with me on this."

Will looked up at his green eyes and sighed reluctantly. On one hand, she could understand his point. On the other, she wanted to lash out and close the portal just to get back at Nerissa, for she had once again treated them like shit. In the end, she decided that a secret passage to Meridian was, after all, a more sensible option than going back and forth in pointless games of returning the ball with the ex-guardian.

"Fine. But just this once."- she pouted. "Map please."

"Oh, yeah. Here."- and he reached to pull the scroll under his shirt and out of his back pocket.

The redhead took it and used the time which Hay Lin and Irma spent cooing over Killian, to activate the map with the Heart of Kandrakar.

The detailed geographical coordinates of the city appeared in an instant and she reported the presence of only one cross. The house they were in right now. One single portal._ For now_, the woman thought grimly. From now on, checking this map would be a daily routine.

"About Cornelia...is she mad at me or something? I haven't seen her all day."- Caleb murmured.

Hay Lin and Irma looked at each other.

"I don't know about that; I just know she had a fight with Taranee and we're trying to get them to kiss and make up. It had proven to be an elaborate enterprise so far."

* * *

"Hey, does Nerissa seem different to you? I mean in a negative way."- Hay Lin said once it was just her and Irma, making their way back to the "Silver Dragon" on foot. "I didn't want to say it in front of Will, because I know she can be touchy on this topic. -"

"What, you mean she was bitchier than usual? I don't know Hay-Hay, Nerissa is always a bitch."- Irma retorted as she lazily scrolled through her Facebook feed. "I can't bother trying to estimate when she crosses the line anymore."

"No, I mean as...as if she was back to her old self. From before redeeming herself."- Hay Lin wished she had thought on her words before uttering them: "No, that's terrible. Forget that I said it. I'm sure it's something else-"

"Whaat? No, you can't just leave what you started unfinished now that I'm intrigued!"- and the Latina shoved her phone in her pocket, turning her entire attention to her friend. "Come on, I'm waiting!"

They were walking on the peculiarly empty sidewalks. It wasn't too too late, but the foggy weather had obviously forced the rest of the residents of Heatherfield to make their way around in cars. Hay Lin took a deep breath before giving her explanation:

"I just caught this...I felt some sort of an unpleasant chill, an emotion of frustration and dissatisfaction in her. Something I did not detect before, even while Kadma was hunting her. I may be wrong, but from what I've heard from grandma about their story...Ooff, I hate having to say this. I'm afraid that darkness might be consuming Nerissa again...Maybe we have to talk to Cornelia or Julian about it before it's too late?"- as the younger woman looked up at her friend for validation, she added hesitatingly: "Caleb is surely out of the question, he'd only get angry if we say something like that-"

"I think that Cornelia is out of question as well."- Irma snorted. "She is obviously pretty on the edge again, I mean look at her! She refuses to talk to Taranee because of such a high school thing-"

"Irma, what Taranee did was pretty inappropriate and harsh, if you ask me."- Hay Lin argued. "Wouldn't you be mad too if someone had come to your table, making a scene, accusing you of being a cheater just like that? I love them both, but Tara didn't even have evidence-"

"Not if that someone was one of you! My closest friends. And come on, Tara did what she did with best intentions, she was looking out for her! Corny shouldn't keep her nose in the clouds, she should learn to be a tad more forgiving. It's not that big of a deal."

"I'm sorry to say it, Irma, but in this situation, Taranee was looking out for her brother. She even justified him and accused Cornelia. And what about the part in which Corny was actually helping Peter cope with the truth? The truth about us being guardians, about Cassidy being a former guardian? All that is hard to process for anyone...Cornelia acted in a noble and selfless way in her attempt to make it all easier on Peter...I just wish Taranee had given her a chance before lashing out. Now that Corny's ego has been hurt, it's just too late to bump our heads. I know her, she just needs time to heal."

Irma didn't say anything. They had reached the Lins' family restaurant and were already making their way to an empty booth. It was a weekday night, yet the place was relatively busy. Just when the two guardians had taken their seats, ready to order dinner, Chen Lin approached their table. His expression was stern and accusing, and Hay Lin could instantly tell why:

"Wassup Mr. Lin, I'll have some fried rice with mushrooms and eggs, a sprout salad, a coke..."

"A minute if you will, Irma. I'll take your order."- the man stopped her and pushed the glasses back up the bridge of his nose. "First, I'd like to ask Hay Lin why wasn't she here for her shift, despite having promised to work tonight? Hay?"

"Dad, I didn't promise to work tonight, I don't even intend on working here after I finish college."- the Asian girl sighed.

"No duh, why would she go to college in the first place if she was aspiring to be a waitress."- Irma called tactlessly, gaining glares of disapproval from both father and daughter.

_You're not helping, Irma!_

_All right, all right, I'll shut up. Pinky promise._

"It's not about that, Hay Lin, it's about helping your family out."- her father raged. "The Dragon is family wealth and heritage. How can you be so indifferent to it!?"

"Dad, please, not in front of Irma..."

"No, young missy, you're not getting out of trouble this time. You're going to work over the weekend!"

"You can't tell me that, dad, I'm 23 years of age!"

"I said something."- the man was relentless. "As long as you live under my roof. -"

_I don't want to live under your roof anymore either!_ But before she could utter it out, a familiar voice interjected in the conversation:

"Chen! You have orders to complete, ya know. Quit blabbing! And must I remind you that this is still _my_ roof. When I kick the bucket, do whatever you wish, until then you will do as I say! Buzz off! Now!"

"Mother, I'll never understand why do you, of all people, encourage her to neglect our family's customs."- Chen sighed deeply, but Yan Lin just made a face and pointed at the way behind her.

_You'd never understand, my boy. Unfortunately, or not, I never got to tell you anything about Kandrakar, but it was because I knew of how neurotic you are. You wouldn't have been able to handle it, Chen. You're just like your father and if he couldn't, their neither can you._

"Because we're living in the 21st century. Now don't talk back at me and mind your orders!"

Hay Lin gave her grandma a pleading look. She hated when her dad got the rough handling because of her, but this time the man wasn't going to back down so soon:

"It was my father's wish for the Lins to keep this place going. It was your dream to have your own Chinese place here in Heatherfield in honor of our ancestors and traditions, mother, but apparently all that is now a distant memory to you."- Chen frowned as he took his glasses off.

Yan Lin scoffed at that line and looked up to meet his eyes. He was angry alright, but that didn't mean that the customers had to listen, nor that he was right. He might be her son, but he was so different from her.

"Actually, this place was my mother in-law's dream."- she pursed her lips. "And we've been keeping it running quite smoothly in the last 50 something years, haven't we, ha? With or without my granddaughter. She needs not surrender herself to the restaurant for it to function. Now don't make me repeat myself, Chen!"

"When did you become so careless and rude to Dad's memory, Mother."- Chen's last words echoed in her ears even after he had walked away as if followed by a cloud made of his own anger and affront.

Yan Lin sighed deeply as she sat heavily next to Irma, who together with Hay Lin, had been listening to the little feud in silence.

"When I move out things will get back to normal, grandma, I promise."- the young woman assured her grandmother with a hand placed on hers.

"What are you even waiting for is beyond me."- Irma commented. "If I were you, I'd be sleeping in Eric Lyndon's king-sized bed with one of the best views in the city, every night by now."

"Ahh, I doubt that her moving out will change much."- Yan Lin shook her head. "Chen is simply...so much like his father, may it be peace on his ashes, and that is both great and not so great."

"I'm sorry, grandma. I wish I could make dad happy; I love him and the restaurant, but I have dreams, a life of my own."- Hay Lin spoke apologetically. "Sometimes I feel like he wants me to give up all of that and spend my entire life in this building."

"Ah, don't even say that, granddaughter. I would never allow you to sacrifice your dreams and destiny for anything. Even for Chen."- Yan Lin said seriously. "I'll make him understand, in one way or another. Now leave that aside and tell me what happened with the portal. Did ya close it?"

The two guardians looked at each other as if they were deciding which one would speak up first. Irma, by some odd chance, allowed her friend to go first:

"No... the portal wasn't a stray one."- the Air guardian murmured. "Caleb and Nerissa opened it because they want to have a passage to Meridian."

"I thought that the case could be similar to that."- the old woman confessed as she gathered her palms in the opposite sleeves of her kimono.

"Will agreed to let the portal stay for now, on the condition that they keep it secure. That's why we didn't close it, grandma."

"And because Nerissa rudely ousted us."-Irma added with outrage. "She's back to being a crazy hoe! Hay thinks that her brain short-circuited itself again. -"

"I didn't say that!"

And Hay Lin threw a timid glance at her grandmother, expecting of her to react angrily, but she never did. Yan Lin just sighed with internal tiredness:

"Ah, that is what I fear ever since the Oracle decided to raise the veil once again. Phobos's lam by itself had a grave effect on Nerissa, she feels endangered, failed and weakened. And the fact that the price of the divider remained to be paid by her did not help at all, obviously. "

"Whaat?! What is that supposed to mean?"- Irma wanted to know.

"Yeah, grandma, what price did she have to pay?"- Hay Lin glanced at the old lady in concern, as she watched her give a small sad smile.

"What do you think she had to give? What is that thing she loves most in the Universe after her closest ones?"

Her question was rhetorical, but Hay Lin's realization couldn't remain silent. She shook her head with a foreboding of the unpleasant truth that frightened her:

"Her power. That explains so much."- the young guardian whispered. "Nerissa has lost her power."

"Not all of it, but yes, the veil did cost her a great fraction of her powers. It cost her the Heart of Aridia."- Yan Lin confirmed quietly. She raised her chin to look at the young women in front of her, exchanging glances.

"Well, shit. Nerissa lost a Heart._ Again_."- Irma summed it up. "I hope that I'm a bad prophet, but knowing what that loss had driven her to do the first time, I can't help but gulp."

* * *

"Oh, why am I not surprised that these two have snitched on me, in spite of promising not to."- Nerissa snorted the next morning as she unwillingly accepted three out of four guardians and her old friend into the house. Today their composition was different- Hay Lin, Taranee, and Will had come instead of Irma, who was busy with her work. "Lair on the Air" was about to sign an important contract and she had a conference to attend. She had pleaded to her friends to pray for her not screwing things up.

Nerissa on the other hand was seemingly calm. She welcomed them in the kitchen where she offered tea from a big French kettle.

Dressed in a midnight-blue pantsuit of soft but fine fabric, a white blouse tucked behind a glittering belt studded with tiny diamonds and of pair of heels to match, she didn't look as grim and disempowered as the night before. And that's exactly what Hay Lin found strange:

"Halinor and Kadma haven't snitched on you, Nerissa. Mira told me about the events on Kandrakar. We...we sometimes talk through a mental link. She does, If I have to be completely honest, she never stops blabbing."- Yan Lin explained as she took the cup her friend was handing her.

"We're here because we want to make sure that you are fine."- Hay Lin said sincerely.

"Oh, I see."- Nerissa snickered, still not looking at the four women sitting around her kitchen table. Instead, she busied herself with cutting an impressive looking cake on the counter. "But shouldn't you, oh I don't know, be working on eliminating Phobos instead of checking up on me?_ Especially_ the guardians."

"That can't exactly happen until we find a clue of some sort or at least some information from Kandrakar."- Will was quick to reply. She herself hated the fact that the Evil Prince was free and somewhere out there, but she couldn't do much about it. But when it came to Nerissa, on the other hand..."I trust you that the portal is safe, despite already being used, right?"

"Mmm yes, Julian and Caleb have crossed to Meridian a few hours ago. Apart from me, missing on a particular morning state which is to be admired in my husband, no harm was done. Just little me being deprived of some fun, as I woke up too late. No harm done to your precious portal. "-the brunette replied, as she playfully licked the end of the knife she had used to cut the cake. Will made a face. The conversation had been pushed to an extremely inappropriate edge.

"This isn't a joke, Nerissa. The portal itself can't really be harmed, now can it? But it can be taken advantage of. If someone else crosses through it-"

"That will not happen."- the ex-guardian almost snapped as she firmly set the plates of cake in front of her uninvited guests.

Hay Lin looked down at the creamy temptation in front of herself. She could use a bite of something sweet to fix her day at least a little bit.

"My protection spells stop unwanted passings on both sides. I wasn't born yesterday, W.I.T.C.H."

"Don't be like that, Nerissa. After all, we're just worried about you. I am, I know that you take all that's been happening lately, sorely."- Yan Lin looked at her.

"May it be so."- the former keeper shrugged lazily. "I appreciate your concern, Yanny, but it's quite groundless. As you can see, I am doing more than fine. Actually, before you four came, I was planning on going out."

"Yes, we _can see_. Where to, if you don't mind me asking?"- Will eyed her seriously, but Nerissa returned the glance cold.

"To the mall, my dear. Don't you shop? I do, I confess, a tad too much even. It's like my own little guilty pleasure."- she tossed her long-straightened locks to the left with a sleek smile. One had to agree, that side bangs-look she was rocking in this particular day, did suit her wickedly.

"We can see."- Taranee pointed out, scanning her outfit once again. "And you always go for expensive. Sometimes I even wonder where do you get all the money to..."

"Look girls, not that I'm saying that I don't enjoy talking to you, I do. _Almost_. "- Nerissa interrupted her. "But I really must go and if you would be kind enough to take your guardians and leave, Yan Lin, I would highly appreciate it. Let's leave this for another time."

"You're ousting us again?"- Will exclaimed as she watched the older woman go around the kitchen island, eyes focused on her vibrating phone. "But you just served us cake-"

"Oh, whatever, I don't have the time to explain! You can stay in the house if you want."- this time Nerissa fully snapped before pulling, her, ruffled in the bottom, blazer, and taking her purse. "Enjoy the cake. Killian's sleeping upstairs so do keep an eye on him until I'm back."

"Wait a minute, your grandson...but where's Cornelia?"- Yan Lin turned to her friend with a hanging mouth. "Nerissa, what's going on around here?!"

"I do not know where Cornelia is, she constantly goes out without a word, leaving her child to my care, which I'll never mind, yet today I'm in a hurry and you will help me. At least one of you will stay here with Killian. Oh, and I had rather that _not_ be Will."

"Hey, why not me?!"

"In a hurry for the mall?"- Taranee raised an eyebrow. "You and Cornelia are very much alike, I have to admit.-"

"Because you're not very good with children, dear Will."- Nerissa declared without further ado, as she took a look at her makeup in the metallic toaster.

Will felt her mouth hang open at that. She was just going to protest against this offensive accusation when the glass kitchen door was heard:

"And just what is _that_ supposed to mean, Taranee? And how dare you even be here? I don't want to see you!"- Cornelia had made her return home noticeable, by slamming the door behind herself. The sight of her long blond hair in a big messy bun and her modern pink sportswear suggested that she had been to the gym. But unfortunately, Cornelia hadn't sweated her bitterness out, as Taranee realized instantly. She hadn't expected different, anyway:

"Cornelia."- the fire guardian began. "I tried to talk to you yesterday, I'm really sorry about what I did and said, but you just won't listen to my apologies-"

"There's nothing to listen to, you said what you had to say yesterday in that cafe! I don't need to hear your goddamn apologies to know that they're worthless! Now get out of here!"-and Cornelia pointed at the door with a relentless expression.

Hay Lin and Will looked at each other, worried and eclipsed by the scene before them. Nerissa, on the other side, appeared to be completely indifferent to the scandal:

"Anyhow. Since the mother is finally here, I can go out in peace and none of you will have to stay with Killian after all."- she interfered from behind.

"Finally?"- Cornelia turned around abruptly, aiming her malevolence at the ex-guardian. "And what is that supposed to mean? I don't deserve to go out at all these days?"

"What are you talking abou..."

"I get it, you want me to be stuck at home all day, don't you?"- the blonde didn't slow down. "Like it's not enough that you, your son and Julian only think about stupid Meridian, now I'm expected to do everything around here! I can't even go to the gym anymore!"

For a moment there, everyone, including Nerissa, looked absolutely flabbergasted. The ex-guardian obviously hadn't expected the young mother to lash out on her of all people, but she hid it well, managing to keep her own temper:

"I said no such thing, dear. I never question your actions or egressions, do I? I was simply stating that Killian will finally be in good hands-"

"Yeah, sure you did. I heard what you said to the others."- Cornelia snapped angrily. " I'm 'constantly going out without saying a word', huh? And just who lied to you that I _owe_ you explanations? Look, _dear_, you're only living here because you're Caleb's mother and because of the circumstances, but that shouldn't fool you. This is my house and you're _just a guest!_"

Echoing, the words sounded in the ears of the older woman, as the room got filled with painful silence. Incredulous, Nerissa stood dead in her tracks, not uttering a word more...

"Woah, woah, woah, Cornelia, you should calm down."- Will finally broke the silence. "Please, accept Tara's apology and don't be like that, we have much more serious things to worry about than petty fighting with each..."

"And since this is my house."- Cornelia interrupted her, not having listened to a word she had said. "I want all of you out of here right now! I have a son to take care of and a terrible headache to cure, and I can't deal with unwanted visitors too. Yan Lin, I'm sorry, you're older than me and I shouldn't be talking to you like that, but coming here without calling in first, _won't_ be happening. And that applies for everyone."- the blonde's cold words stung them once again. She was so determined, her friends stood up silently making their way to the door.

"Cornelia..."-Hay Lin began, but her grandmother stopped her.

"Let's go, granddaughter."- she said quietly, pushing her to the door. The others followed without any protests, Taranee keeping her head the lowest.

She was responsible for awakening these demons of bitterness, anger, and harshness in the Earth guardian, and she was ashamed of it. Now everyone had to suffer under Cornelia's heavy words just because of her stupid mistake...

Nerissa watched the small delegacy leave through the kitchen doors, a small smile of victory crawling on her lips. Sure, the blonde had insulted her too, but in the end, her rage had helped her by sending the guardians out before they could continue with their particularly annoying questions. Cornelia's flare-up had cleared the way for her.

_Oh, dear Cornelia,_ the ex-guardian thought as she watched the guardian storm out of the room in her turn. _You take such pride in all which you do, yet that pride fuels sheer arrogance which often affronts all who surround you, even your friends. Some months ago, you asked me about the chink in the armor of your soul, and I must say that I've now discovered it. You're wrong if you think that I've taken your words at heart. After all, they worked to my advantage. I'm not even angry with you. You're my son's true love after all. And we mustn't fight against true love, must we?_

* * *

**A/N: Soo, what is Phobos up to? What is Nerissa up to? What are your thoughts on Cornelia&Taranee's feud? What about Hay Lin and her dad? As always, your assumptions and comments are the best. Keep them coming. :)**

**See u in the next chapter!**


	6. The Engagement

**_A/N: Get ready for a looong chapter, guys. I hope you find it interesting and entertaining, as the plot builds up! Stay tuned, comment, PM-me; oh, you know what to do! :)  
xoxox- jimelization  
_**

**_Happy Reading!_**

* * *

_Chapter 6: The Engagement_

_"Do not tell secrets to those whose faith and silence you have not already tested"  
\- Elizabeth the First_

* * *

**_The Hidden Mansion, 10 AM_**

The sunrise once again bathed the mesmerizing broadleaves, the enchanting green forests and lush fields in golden drops and a sense of beauty and fulfillment, as the small white clouds receded, like obedient servants, clearing the path for the first rays.

The Hidden Mansion was awake, the actual servants carefully made their way to the inside of the building as to not be noticed from afar or what was worse- from the royal court. This was a precautionary measure, especially today when the entire royal family was poured out of its homeland.

"My Queen, it has all started. The palace is empty. The delegates are on their way. The royal group headed to the southern woods to meet with the guardians. We know from our spies in the palace, that the actual meeting is in exactly half an hour."- one of the servants bowed down in front of the young woman in the large room with golden walls and warm wood floors.

"Excellent."- her puffy lips stretched in a big smile. "And did you, by chance, manage to find out how exactly are the guardians to go through the divider with the prince and his subjects?"

The servant's face dropped at that, but he almost immediately responded:

"We suppose that they have a portal to serve their needs, your Grace."

"Do not state what is obvious. Which portal? That's what you were supposed to uncover. Where's the goddamn portal?!"- the servant shivered at the sound of that angry voice. Over the brief period during which he and the rest, loyal to the true queen, subjects, had come to know this man, it had become precisely clear that he was not just dangerous and evil. He was ruthless.

"You are as worthless as my army and servants that failed me 11 years ago. I won't have you fail me too."- and he raised his hand to hurt them, or most probably, even destroy them.

The main servant and his men shivered like leaves. It was only their Queen's intervention that stopped the sorcerer before he could obliterate them:

"You _dare_ stop me."- the long-haired man hissed in her face, but the young woman didn't even flinch, she held his wrist on the level of her eyes.

"Learn to control yourself! I certainly don't need the death of a servant, especially not when my supporters can be counted on the fingers of my two hands, either way! You have to be more patient."

The tall man tightened his lips, yet managed to remain still and regain his composure. He knew it- if he was to achieve victory, he would have to suck up his attitude and natural instincts that usually fueled his rage and desire to sow destruction. As bitter as it was, his fate remained unchanged.  
The will of others was still forced onto him, a decision that had taken away his rights and happiness so many years ago, a grave affront and a mockery that had given a start to his life's journey. Oh, he'd suck it all in...Only to release it twice as powerful and calamitous once the appropriate time came...

"We celebrated the veil, because we believed it will simply trap the peasants in their own world, yet today it hinders our plan again."- he spoke again, this time much more collected. "If we cannot follow the guardians and the harrowing royal family to Meridian, then what are we even doing to proceed?"

"My King, just leave that to me."- the honey-haired woman's sly smile made him arch an eyebrow. "I know just what I'm doing, my gorgeous white stallion. I will now get ready and do what I must do to keep our blueprint up to date. In the meantime, you have my people at your disposal. Do not kill them and do what is needed to get us that special Golden Spring water."

That made the wicked smile return to his face. The man caressed her hair in a tender, peculiar to his nature, manner. This girl was his golden goose and she didn't even know it...

She kissed his lips before putting on the hood of her black robe which she wore over her pale blue dress. He watched her leave with a little smirk, before sliding his cold green gaze over the main servant, who instantly bowed down in front of his master.

"I assume that you're ready to follow my commands, apple knocker."- he grinned at his own idea of giving these pitiful people new, humiliating names, appropriate to their status. "Bring the soldiers. We go on a small expedition to the so-called soul of this beautiful, but terribly intrusive, dimension."

The main servant blenched barely noticeably. The thought of admitting this psychotic man near to the holy Golden Spring was almost unthinkable and frightening, and not only to him but such were his Queen's orders. For this, the man humbly bowed his head near the feet of the imposing usurper:

"Your will is our sanctuary, Prince Phobos."

* * *

**_Heatherfiled, 11 AM_**

"I said that I don't want to go and that is final!"- Cornelia turned around so abruptly that Caleb felt the golden blossoms fluttering from her hair, like petals of a flower, even across the room.

"Cornelia, you can't be serious."- he exclaimed in a state of impasse as he watched his wife-to-be finish with the breastfeeding. Another minute passed in silence before their son burped and she gently placed him back in his crib.

The rebel leader couldn't help but smile, despite the talk they were having. In less than two months, she had advanced a lot as a mother. She had already automated most of the things that all the other mothers had been tirelessly helping her with.

Despite the beautiful moment he observed between his child and the woman he loved, Caleb still had to try to raise the urgent question again:

"Seriously, why are you being like that? We have to go. It's Queen Elyon's engagement, she's your best friend-"

"At this point in my life, I have no desire to justify or deal with Elyon's bullshit again, Caleb."- the blonde snapped, shocking the man in front of her. "She has a toxic soft spot for that pig her brother and I can't do anything about it. You may go if you want, I'm staying home."

The truth, which Cornelia would never admit though, was that she actually cared too much for her friend to see her in the state which she was. Even if angry at her for her decisions, the blonde couldn't help her. She also couldn't help feel affronted that Elyon seemed to be purposely avoiding her ever since her brother's escape.

"Cornelia, you're mad at her too? How can you blame her...she was just used by Phobos... Isn't it enough that my mother, Kadma, and Will already put all the blame on her."- Caleb sighed and shook his head.

"Well, it's not for no reason, you know."- she spat and tried to walk around him, but he didn't allow her. He caught her hands in his and pulled her closer.

"Cornelia, if you're mad at her for what happened, then come with me, _because_ of me. You know how important Meridian is for us. For me and dad. Mom isn't dying to attend too, but she will, because of dad. Do the same for me. -"

"I'm not like your mom."- Cornelia snapped with annoyance as she pulled apart. "Didn't anyone ever tell you that women hate being compared to their man's mother? Like in general? Besides, she's the Mage now. She _has_ to attend."

"And you're the guardian of Earth. A guardian of Kandrakar. Therefore, you also must attend."- Cornelia snorted at that, but her boyfriend's sly smile was starting to break through the ice walls she had raised around herself since morning.

"Exactly, I'm sick of guardian stuff! I've been doing this for over 10 years and I deserve at least a few months of serenity after giving birth, the very least! If that's not a reason enough for that retard the Oracle to give me some time off, then I don't know what is! And it's not just that, forget that I'm always on alert and that Meridian is currently Phobos's biggest target. I don't want to be close to toxic, fake friends. And such will attend."

"What are you talking about."- Caleb rolled his eyes.

He was getting annoyed with her attitude already. The tall blonde huffed and went around him, but she didn't slam the bathroom door behind herself. She left it open as she proceeded to brush her teeth.

"Who did you fight with this time? Will? No, wait Hay Lin said something about T-"

"I love how you assume that I've just fought with someone and that it is all my fault!"- Cornelia snapped bitterly as she glared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He gawked in astonishment and opened his mouth to protest:

"When did I even say that it's your fault..."- this time she tried to slam the door, but Caleb put his foot behind the door and its frame, walking in.

"Get out of here, Caleb! If you're not going to be on my side, don't even ask me about what happened!"

"Listen, Cornelia, I was just asking you what the hell is wrong. It's obvious by your words that some sort of fight did take place, but I haven't said that it was your fault!"

The guardian tossed her hair in his face and went on with brushing her teeth in silent sulking.

"Cornelia tell me what has happened!"- the young man gritted his teeth impatiently. "If you don't talk to me, I'm not gonna talk to you either and I'm sleeping in the den!"

"We don't have a den, that's my Pilates room!"- Cornelia shouted in response after having rinsed her mouth. "You want to know what happened, don't you? Fine, I'll tell you what happened!"

The man blinked as she roughly put her electrical toothbrush back in its place and then pushed him to sit on the closed toilet.

"I was helping a friend out. A friend who hasn't always been just a friend to me."- she began. A brief flush of shame warmed her cheeks as she went on. "And I purposely did that without talking about it, because I knew that some people might make the wrong conclusions if they knew. And boy did they do! I was meeting Peter Cook to help him cope with the fact that his girlfriend is a guardian, Caleb. His whole depression story- it was mostly him fighting with the truth. Fighting with other things that he wasn't happy about, but mostly Cassidy who apparently didn't manage to keep her secret. I know she was dead for the longest time, but this is plain irresponsible. How do you let someone catch you when you're not even an active guardian anymore..."

"Taranee's brother?"- the man interrupted her with a harsh look written over his handsome face. "You mean that...that guy from the ice-skating ring?"

Cornelia just growled.

"See, this is exactly why I didn't tell anyone about talking to him! Everyone recalls that stupid day at the ice rink from ten fucking years ago! Everyone, even Taranee who called me a cheater."

"What!?"

"Oh, don't act like you're genuinely surprised, you were thinking the same thing a few minutes ago!"- she frowned and folded her arms on her chest. "None of you trust me, because of my 14year old self and that period of my life when I lied in order to date Peter, how unfair is tha..."

"Cornelia you're crazy!"- her boyfriend exclaimed. "Yeah sure, I naturally don't like that man too much because of that story, but I never said that I don't trust you. Around him or around anyone, I'd never accuse you of cheating on me, because I know you."

The young blonde could only stare at him as a small sincere smile of appreciation snuck on her face. His words meant the world to her at a moment like this, and knowing that he trusted her the way she could only trust herself, unreservedly, was more than one more sign, proving that she had found it. True love at its finest.

"Thank you, Caleb."- she said quietly as she leaned to give him a quick but meaningful kiss.

"For what?!"- his genuine fail at understanding his own irreplaceability amused her as he wrapped his arms around her. Cornelia allowed herself to rest in his embrace:

"For never doubting me. Even when given my past mistake..."

"Are you still talking about that."- the man rolled his eyes. "What mistake, Cornelia? Seeking another man's attention when I was forced to neglect you, wasn't a mistake. It was a natural thing to happen, neither of us was at fault. Or if we were, it was a joint fault, OK? I chose something over you, I was wrong."

"Hey, you were making a mature man sacrifice. I was just being a dumb teen. We were both wrong to fight about it."- and Cornelia sighed as he cupped her face in his palms. "I wish Taranee had understood me as well as you."

Green orbs melting the layers of her soul and his softened voice reaching her ears, had her forget all her turmoil:

"Screw it, Cornelia. You Earth girls constantly do stupid things like that, you'll be friends again before you know it."

"This time, it will take more than that. She really hurt me. Our problems from the past, which she used to be sympathetic to, she now used against me. I feel like I don't even know her anymore!"

"What matters is that our relationship went through the storm, is it not? It became stronger. That wouldn't have been possible without these problems between us. Problems that we overcame together."

"You're damn right, rebel leader. You even made me a son, and that just seals the deal. You're mine forever now."- she changed the entire tone of the deep conversation to a husky one before he could make her cry and ruin her mascara. Sure, the Earth guardian had refused to go to Meridian, but she had been getting ready to attend the engagement after all. What her boyfriend had given her had been just the push she had needed to drop her anger and refusal.

"Let's be honest about it, that's a vow you made more than ten years ago."- he smirked daringly, winning himself a poke from her.

"Speaking of vows, my dream wedding is being_ sooo_ late. You proposed like almost two years ago, what's taking us so long? When do you plan on talking about that, huh?"

It was true, he had proposed marriage to her on her birthday, almost two springs ago. Life had been good, but busy, and even though the young rebel had planned on making her his wife sooner, something had always been in the way. First, it was university life for Cornelia and his different jobs that kept them occupied, then she had gotten pregnant. The wedding had been totally sent in the background.

"Easy, we will get to that."- Caleb grinned as he felt her hands shamelessly slide down to his behind. "I know it's a big deal for you. It's important for me to- we'll have an Earth and a Meridian wedding. Once Queen Elyon ties the knot with the Coronian guy and the situation is under control."

Cornelia snorted at that, but Caleb kept her lips busy with his, so she couldn't voice her thoughts. She had never thought that Elyon would get married before her, even if it was an arranged marriage. Being best friends back in Heahterfield, they had talked about their happiest days many times.

"Now, before we go to that engagement."- the man began slyly with a playful glance directed at her. "I still need to take a shower. Come!"

"Caleb, nooo! I'm halfway done with my makeup already!"- she screamed, but it was too late. He had lifted her up and taken her in the bathtub with him, letting the warm water rain over them with a swift move of his hand.

"You jerk!"- she glared, but with a crawling smirk across her face, as he pulled his shirt over the head, throwing it out of the shower, only to proceed to drown her with kisses.

* * *

**_Meridian, a little after 5 PM_**

The image of the palace, festively decorated again, after the horror that had erupted in the late Queen's Ballroom less than two weeks ago, was somehow surreal. The Grand Throne Room and the Great Main Ballroom were ideally suited to the occasion of Queen Elyon's engagement ceremony. The walls gleamed in fairy-tale purple hues created by many garlands and fresh flowers that adorned every corner.

Alborn waited outside all the hustle and bustle, for the official ceremony had not yet started, but the halls were almost full already. He'd never understand as to why his wife and the royal counselors had insisted on this ceremony to be a public event. He knew that his daughter herself would've preferred for this event to had been held in a more close-knit circle, especially after all that had come to her head lately. Yes, the people of Meridian did need a distraction for their worries after what had happened on the last ball, but given the circumstances, the man sincerely didn't find the decision sensible. Not now, not so soon, not until Phobos was down for good...But they had the veil to keep them at least somewhat secure and traditions couldn't and shouldn't change just because of his opinion.

The Head of the Royal Guard had another reason to wait outside, of course, and that was none other than the Royal Coronian family's arrival. His people and the guardians were supposed to safely transport them through the dimensions and most importantly- the veil. The portal in the Infinite City had done an excellent job on that part, even if the royals had had to pass through Heaterfield before reaching their final destination, to be able to use it. Still, it was the safest way for that to happen and the least dangerous alternative when the veil's integrity and solidity were in question.

At last, Alborn caught a glimpse of three large chariots that were headed for the Palace. How had these three babies made it through two worlds and the tiny places the portals led to, was beyond the man who watched them approach along the winding path leading up to the entrance he was guarding.

The moods were contradictory, of course, the weather was cloudless, and the father was praying only for this to be successful. Elyon's engagement _had_ to be a success.

"Granny, is this the Meridian Palace? Why it's so _ordinary_!"- the six-year-old prince exclaimed as he looked at the scenery through the back window of the chariot.

"Dua! Do not forget your manners!"- Queen Magana scolded the boy and pulled him back to his seat. "Classicism is always modern and sophisticated, he's just too young to understand."- she smiled at the young women that were facing her, in an apologetic manner.

It was obvious that she feared making a bad impression the entire time, even though she was royalty, but Will was quick to smile back reassuringly. They had already met about 9 years ago and they knew the kind-hearted, maiden-like queen, treated them as equals, especially because they were guardians sent by Kandrakar, who had helped save her daughter at the time. It was sad to think that in such a short period of time, so many things had changed for the Royal Coronian Family.

Sad changes that made Taranee shiver with terror and compassion. In nine years, Magana had not only been widowed, but had lost her daughter as well. The same Princess Leonida that she and her girlfriends had once rescued from the evil graumer* Dua. **("The Golden Spring" original W.I.T.C.H. book series)**

The same monster that the late princess had apparently named her son after and Irma didn't know what shocked her more. Whether the name her late Majesty had chosen for the little one or the fact that she had given birth and died just like that. Good God, that girl had almost been their peer. It was disturbing, but the Water guardian didn't dare ask for the details. Not so much because she didn't want to be tactless, but because Will had sharply warned her not to do it, the first thing in the morning.

Irma pouted and impatiently flickered with her wings. When would they finally arrive?! The way from the Infinite City to the Palace felt like an eternity. Her friends were engaged in a boring, courteous talk with Magana, and her eyes fell on the prince next to her Majesty. No, not Dua, the little restless devil that reminded her of Chris when he had been his age, but the timid, silent young man sitting on the other side of the ruler.  
The son they had never once mentioned before, and Irma didn't quite get why. The guy was handsome, he was definitely eye-catching and he was marrying Elyon. They were supposed to get to know each other as they would all meet more and more often from now on, but the prince didn't seem to think so. He was either too shy or too snobby, the water guardian decided. If only all her attempts to start a conversation with him, while traveling, hadn't been a flop, she would've been able to tell which one was true. Was he just a big snob? Irma made a face as she remembered his maddening sister.

_Psst, Hay,_ she sent her friend a telepathic message. _Is it me or is Mr. Mysterious over there nothing like his crazy sister._

Next to the Latina, the Air guardian stirred startled in her place, as if she was just waking up from a nap. Maybe she was, Irma wouldn't blame her. The conversation which Taranee was having with Magana, about some tile patterns, was after all, dull as a dishwasher.

_You shouldn't bad mouth the dead, Irma,_ Hay Lin scolded her._ It's awful that Leonida has passed away at such a young age-_

_Babe, I'm not saying that it isn't awful, but the girl almost gave away her kingdom's riches and power to the mutant worm she was dating. She was pretty insane... Whatever, forget about that. Tell me about our boy Andan._

_What do you want me to tell you? He's hotter than his picture, but I'm not surprised, good looks run in the family,_ Hay Lin admitted, returning to her optimistic tone. _If he has a good heart too, Elyon will be very lucky._

_Yeah,_ Irma was still thinking about the quiet man, when Will's voice broke her off of her thoughts:

"Your Majesties, we have arrived. I give you the Meridian Palace up close. And this is Alborn, father of Queen Elyon and Head of the Royal Guard."

"Your Majesties, it is an honor to have you here. Thank you for making it on time, despite the circumstances. Please, be our guests."- Alborn smiled, through the now open door, offering his hand to Queen Magana.

* * *

"We have gathered here today to mark the beginning of a relationship. The beginning of the new beginning. We're here to celebrate my daughter, her royal Majesty Queen Elyon Escanor's engagement with her future partner, Prince Andan of Coronia. Thank you, people of Meridian. Thank you, dear guests, from Coronia. Today truly is a ray of sunshine in a month of darkness."- Miriadel's speech might've been cheesy, but it was sincere.

She wasn't pretending or playing and that was what was _worse_, Nerissa thought as she watched the army captain wipe her eyes before walking down.

The Royal Family from Coronia appeared to be acceptable, though slightly strange. A mother and two princes, her son and grandson. And she couldn't manage to rule her kingdom herself, because? She didn't even look older than 40 something. But the ex-guardian had little interest in all that, anyway. She was curious to see them, mostly the _little wretch's_ new husband-to-be. He sat on the throne next to her and he looked good, too good for her, even. Nerissa smirked barely noticeably as she fixed the deep neckline of her pink garb.

There was nothing funnier that came to her mind than the way the future newlyweds were sitting on the thrones, side by side, as the annoying people showered them with flowers and rice. These villagers were not representatives of the rebellion and therefore were so _unbearable_. Just like the exiled aristocracy of Meridian, some of whom had returned after Phobos, and were now watching the Queen's ceremony with envy. Nerissa didn't envy her; anger was the only thing she was left to feel for the young monarch. She didn't even hate her anymore- Elyon was despair in human form.

The old clerk and the shy young maid were some of the few staff that Queen Magana had brought with her from Coronia. The clerk was in a hurry to get the documents signed and make the union official, while the veiled maid smiled and took on the rings of the young couple. The beautiful jewelry, crafted by skillful hands, was of pure gold with beautiful angel prints. The yellow satin ribbon, the two rings were connected by, was to be cut off by the groom's mother and the bride's mother.

Elyon fought the obvious inconvenience she was experiencing the entire time. The truth was that even though she had agreed to this political decision and had agreed to give it a chance, hoping for the spark of love to ignite between her and the prince, after what had happened to Galgheita and Phobos's escape, she couldn't even think about, herself.

Her feelings must have been written on her face because upon cutting the ribbon and the applause that followed, Queen Magana made a gracious bow in front of her and said:

"Queen Elyon, we are humbled, truly humbled by the fact that you gave my son and this marriage a chance! What is more, I was dearly pleased when you agreed to look at this marriage as something more than just politics. I vow that my Andan will do what it takes to prove himself worthy of being your husband."

"Oh, no, your Majesty, please, you don't have to treat me like royalty."- and abashed, Elyon was quick to stand from her throne. "You're elder to me, you're Andan's mother. I would love it if you treated me like family."- she didn't quite feel what she said, but it had the public erupt in approval. It also made the older Queen openly happy, as she smiled warmly at her and touched her shoulder:

"You're such a well-mannered girl, Queen Elyon. I would be honored."- her velvet hazel hair and hazel eyes seemed to glow with her kindness and royalty.

Elyon fought to keep her smile on. These people were apparently kind and hearty, and she- she was a fool who went into this marriage with a huge lack of desire. Elyon sighed in thought and prayed for her fate to give her a new will and mindset to continue on the path to happiness. Happiness, as a maximum, that so eagerly escaped her.

* * *

"I'm proud of Elyon."- Taranee stated an hour later when the party was going smoothly while the Queen and Prince were given a moment of seclusion in the royal gardens. "She's willing to give this a try, despite knowing that it is a serious matter. I admire her courage."

"Courage is one way to call it."- Will murmured under her nose. "But I'd still call it a desperate shot in the dark.

Taranee almost gasped, obviously not having expected the redhead, out of all people, to say such a harsh thing.

She and the other guardians were all taking their time in one of the sitting rooms in the palace, finally having received the chance to take a moment of peace, approximately away from all the hubbub of the party. Something which, frankly speaking, none of them were in the mood for.

"But Will."- the fire guardian protested. "Why do you say that, you know that this wasn't even her idea. What do you mean a 'blind shot in the dark'?"

"What does it mean, Taranee?"- Irma repeated with annoyance. "It means that she's taking the chance while she still can, otherwise she'll grow old and alone, I think it was pretty understandable what Will said and it's true."

"Elyon's our friend, why are you two so negative about it. I know it's not the most fairy-tale-like relationship, but we..."- Taranee still couldn't believe them.

"But we nothing, quit trying to make it a happy day, even Elyon herself isn't happy about it!"- Irma cut her off.

Hay Lin, who was absently flying above them while looking at the bookshelves, just shook her head. Will didn't say anything, she crossed her legs and rested her elbows against the writing desk nearby.

"But..."

"Let her talk. She most probably wants Elyon to fall into an unhappy relationship so she can then accuse her of being a cheater and be right about it for a change."- Cornelia entered the room alongside her spite, drawing everyone's attention.

"Cornelia! I apologized to you a hundred times, why are still blaming me, I was going crazy over Peter's case, I couldn't even think ra..."

"A-a-a! Don't waste your breath, Taranee, I don't want to hear you."- and the blonde haughtily raised her chin up. "Hard times bring the truth out of us, and that what you said back then is clearly your actual opinion of me."

"Cornelia, that is NOT true..."- but even though she was on the verge of tears, her friend's open palm made Taranee shut up. She was too ashamed to argue about her truth and too tired to try to excuse herself. She needed to give the other woman her time.

"But enough about Elyon's lame engagement."- Cornelia tossed her hair back, as she urged the casually lying on a couch Irma, to make her a place to sit. "I'm here for the Coronian gossip. Tell me everything which I missed today."

"Someone had a change of mind."- Irma didn't miss the chance to taunt her. "Didn't you use to encourage Elyon to accept this marriage proposal, Corny? Now you're siding with us when you saw that we were right to be skeptical about it."

"Yes, I did, but I expected that she and Andan would get to know each other and date for a while before signing an engagement agreement."- Cornelia defended herself coldly. "How is it my fault that they jumped straight into documents and politics? I was beside myself when I saw that old guy being so eager to get the signatures. Huh, desperate much."

"That's what they do in such cases."- Will shook her head. "Anyway, let it be. Elyon can take care of herself and do what she pleases with this marriage, right? It's not like marrying Andan needs to be for life."

"I guess."- the Earth guardian rolled her eyes. "Now tell me what happened already, did they say something on the way here? Something worth hearing? Andan and Magana..."

"Well, would you look at that. Gossip-hungry, curious Corny, makes a new appearance. We haven't seen much of you lately, did evil Corny's anger and bitterness keep you locked?"- Irma mocked her and the blonde was just about to snap when the Air guardian interjected:

"No, Cornelia. We haven't talked much."- Hay Lin shrugged, as she levitated back to the level where she was only slightly above their couch.

"You should talk, you even took the time to snore."- Will rolled her eyes at her before turning to Cornelia. "We did talk, but it was mostly just small talk. We did a little catching up and that was all..."

"Well duhh, that's what I was talking about."- the blonde made a face. "It's not even gossip-gossip...Don't tell me you weren't intrigued to find out what exactly happened to that princess, Irma."

At that, Irma stretched up, outraged, pointing her finger and glaring at Will:

"I was!_ Of course_, I was! But she forbade me from even asking! Pink poopy perky pumpkin here thought it would be 'too rude'."

"Because it _is_ awfully rude to ask about deceased relatives, trust me. I should know."- Will replied grimly. That had everyone quiet and done with the topic, but not Cornelia:

"Will, it's nothing like that. Maybe Irma would've blown it with her impropriety-"

"Heeey!"

"- but I don't see why you couldn't ask Magana in an apposite way. After all, her son will be Elyon's husband, and given their unusual history, I would like to know about everything that might possibly threaten Elyon in some way. You know, just so that it doesn't happen like the last time we trusted your judgment regarding her."- she said the last part coldly, making Will clench her fists and teeth. She was way too tired to fight with Cornelia now.

"Cornelia, what does that have to do with an..."

But before she could finish, the cozy, darkened room was invaded. Raythor took a quick second to catch his breath, before wheezing right in their bewildered faces:

"Guardians! An escape! There has been another escape... We must take care of it without alarming the guests. Come with me!"

* * *

Nerissa threw her hair to the back. This was her chance to have a word with the Queen of Coronia and see what she was all about. Why she felt like she actually must marry her son for power, despite being perfectly capable of ruling on her own, at least externally. Out of pure curiosity that was, and now that Miriadel had finally left the Coronian woman's side, the ex-guardian was getting ready to make her way to her. She had even already formed a plan in her head, regarding how she was about to get the information she was interested in. Nerissa was just walking to her target when she came face to face with her husband.

"Careful there, my handsome, you're going for a bumpy ride."- she pursed her lips as he grabbed a hold of her hips and waist, swinging her in the rhythm of the music. "Or a dance, fine, I don't mind."

"As much as I would love to, we have an emergency on our hands."- he said quietly, as he pressed his face against her's. "Keep your calm and follow me. No one should learn about this, _especially_ not the people from Coronia."

The smile on her face quenched, being quickly replaced by a deep frown.

"What kind of an emergency."- she nearly hissed, but the veteran rebel just held her hand and slowly led her out, unbeknown to guests and hosts.

"Julian."- she spoke again, once he started leading her through the gardens. The sun was going down in the distance, making the flora around them even more yellow and orange than the autumn had already done. "Will you tell me what exactly..."

"We're being attacked from the inside."- he went into explanatory mode without further ado. "Remember the Cavigor fugitives' mass escape, you were able to thwart? Well, when we imprisoned them again, we had to do it on groups. We had no other choice, some of them had already managed to run away, anyway...Somehow, I do not know how, one of the most dangerous groups has been broken out yet again."

"What?!"

Julian shook his head at the sight of her shock. He knew no better than her. Then a scream came to them, a scream which made them rush in its direction.

"What did you do to him, monster?! WHO ARE YOU?!"

"It's the Queen."- Julian declared as they ran.

"If she can't take care of herself, I don't know who can!"- Nerissa snorted with contempt. "This has to be a diversion, Julian, leave her, we have to stop the prisoners-"

"The guardians and Caleb are already on that, Nerissa. We must think of the Queen, she is in danger."

Terribly dissatisfied with this answer, the woman followed him, gasping for breath. Running in high heels and no extra power source was disgusting, especially for a person like her, who preferred flying ever since she had mastered it. At last, they passed through the last turns of tall bushes, reaching a small open space, where an unpleasant scene took place. The Coronian Prince lay unconscious in Elyon's lap as she glared at the dark figure coming towards them.

"Your Highness, what happened?"- Julian exclaimed as his eyes moved from her to the figure. "Who is..."

But before he could finish, the wight dove towards him, predatory and with inhuman speed. Julian reached for his sword, but if Nerissa's lightnings hadn't surrounded him like a grid, he would have been knocked to the ground.

"I don't know, Julian!"- Elyon uttered in distress. "This thing came flying from the sky, it attacked us and did something to Andan with this odd dust which it threw at us. I'm worried, we have to get him to the hospital at once!"

"How about you help us raze this creature first, you useless wimp!"- Nerissa raged as she blasted at the said creature with no success. It was too fast.  
Too fast for her in this miserable state and too fast for Julian who was having a hard time battling it with his sword. This creature, whatever it was, was making them look like fools while Elyon stood by the victim like some damsel in dismay. As if she wasn't aware of her powers... No, she would just never have what it takes, Nerissa glared at her as she tried to catch up with the flying creature. _Such an incompetent little..._

Elyon finally stood up and fired her spell at the creature, but unfortunately, that happened to be just when the other woman was aiming at it as well as if to bring evidence to her thoughts.

The Queen's bright spell collided with the lightnings, creating a backlash that the creature deftly avoided by flying high into the sky, but the two spouses, who fought it on the ground, didn't have the same luck. Furious, Nerissa was sent flying back, and while Julian tried to reflect the wave with his sword's blade, he also found himself at a great distance from his previous location.

"Enough!"- Elyon yelled, preparing to give the assailant her best shot. The strong magic that erupted from her palms struck the surroundings with strong gusts. The creature landed on the ground, just in the path of the powerful beam that was breaking through the air madly, on its way to its target.  
The wight had landed right in the spell's way, as if even deliberately. But Elyon had no time to think over its actions. Just before her magic struck it, however, its hood disappeared, revealing a shocking face.

_"You!"_\- Elyon exclaimed, having stopped the destructive spell in the last moment. "How did you cross through the veil?! Answer me immediately!"

"A mogriff..."- Nerissa murmured from the ground. The Queen kept talking to it, blind for its true nature, but the sorceress had already figured it out.

"This time, brother, you will pay! You will pay for all of your sins!"- Elyon shouted at the creature wearing Phobos's face.

Nerissa shook her head with disgust. Was this blonde fool really that slow? Then her gaze fell on the sword that lay next to Julian, who had just started to struggle with standing up.

"_Quintessence!"_

Seconds later, Elyon found herself gasping soundly as the weapon pierced the creature, the tip coming out from the other side of its body. Nerissa finally stood up. It was no near the relish doing this with the real Phobos would've given her, but at least this idiotic manner was finally taken care of. The mogriff exhaled one last time before returning its original form, closing its lurid eyes forever.

* * *

"I don't get who keeps doing this!"- Irma yelled in a temper, as she used her powers to cease one of the last waves of fugitives. Her water cage started moving, pushing them all together back to the dungeons they had all so suddenly escaped. "Field trip's over boys! Back to the cells!"

"Phobos, obviously."- Will frowned upon charging the cells with newfound electrical bars. "And that's what bothers me the most. How does he manage to cause such an inner crisis if he's on the other side of the veil?"

Cavigor was still a ruthless place, even after being put into the good guys' use, and breaking out of it was never easy. The giant monstrous bugs might've been removed from the security system, but whoever or whatever was setting these prisoners free a second time, wasn't to be underestimated.

"The numbers of the exiles here have dropped again. After the first escape, ten percent of the prisoners were missing. Now they are already twenty."- Caleb announced grimly once all the guardians gathered at the top of the dungeon entrance. "Another break-out must never happen, otherwise God knows how much will crimes increase."

"Well, we did do our best to scout the area. We caught all that hadn't yet managed to find hiding or escape somehow."- Taranee pondered.

"I don't hear any other prisoners out of their cells nearby either."- Hay Lin called in.

Taranee thought about it before going on:

"But of course, all that isn't enough, we still need to organize a national search for all fugitives whose identities we know."

"That is going to be harder than you think."- Cornelia interfered sourly. "When whoever did all this, came to do all this, they not only put all the guards to sleep with magic, he, she or it stole the data book. All the names, all the identities of the prisoners- gone."

There was a tense silence as everyone exchanged glances. Aldarn, who had been the one to discover the escape action during his passing though the region, scratched the back of his head helplessly and suggested:

"Maybe her Majesty has some copies of these records? I mean, why keep them in the prison itself in the first place. That's actually..."

"Stupid, yeah."- Irma helped him. "Wasn't she going to bring computers in Meridian or something? Had she done that, it would've been ten times easier to keep track of names, identities, etc."

"She postponed it for the next year over and over again."- Will murmured grimly. She had to forgive Elyon for her mistakes, but how could she, when the young Queen was making new ones every other minute.

"No, this was our responsibility."- Caleb shook his head. "I'll ask Alborn, we should have something to back this up. We can't be that unprofessional-"

"Forget about that. If the escaped criminals try to cause any trouble around Meridian, we'll quickly know where they are and we'll put them under lock and key again."- Irma dusted her hands and glanced at her friends. None of them looked calm despite her words of reassurance.

"If they are to even stay on Meridian."- the group turned around to see the delegation that was approaching them. Nerissa's face looked even more frowning than that of Raythor, who was coming behind her. Julian just appeared to be despondent.

"But I thought they can't leave Meridian."- Aldarn exclaimed with confusion. " The veil is..."-

"The veil is useless."- Nerissa interrupted him. "It has never worked the way it is meant to, but this time it yields from the very beginning. And these two acts of distraction from today speak for themselves."

"Acts of what now?"

"It appears that this escape hasn't been the culprit's main goal. Whoever did all this is still here. This is a damn inside job."- Raythor growled. "They broke the prisoners out of Cavigor to distracts us and get to the Royal Dungeons in the Infinite City."

"Who has escaped the dungeons?!"- Caleb asked with a dry throat. "Do these guards do nothing, I ask?!"

"Oh, don't blame them, Caleb. Neither their capabilities nor the defensive spells could resist the power that stormed the dungeons. This power, being held by no matter who is huge. The culprit has powerful magic"- his mother continued darkly. "Magic which temporarily tampered with my vision over the Infinite City, long enough for them to break the real purpose of their actions from today."

"Will you tell us who broke out or not."- Cornelia asked in annoyance. All this was getting on her nerves. "And how did this, quote on quote, strong magic get pass the veil?!"

Julian and Raythor exchanged glances while Nerissa just closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The guardians stirred in their places in anticipation, but when the veteran rebel opened his mouth to tell them, Will felt like she already knew the answer:

"Cedric. The culprit freed Cedric of his prison cell."

The deaf silence that followed enveloped them in its oppressive snare for a full minute

"Phobos is gathering his old most loyal soldiers. An army, a general for the army... and apparently, there are allies too. It is a matter of time before the eve of another war with him eclipses the universe."- Will summarized gloomily, gathering the others' anxious glances on herself. Some of her friends were worried, others were angry, but no one would lose hope. A war might be coming, but they certainly weren't going to surrender without a fight. They were not losing either.

* * *

"No, there is no place for worries. Andan is allergic to sunflower seeds. I can tell that this is what caused his faint by the residue on his garments."- Queen Magana said after a closer look at her son, who had already recovered his senses. "This mogriff creature...it must have hurled a generous amount at him and the Queen during its attack."

Only minutes had passed since the crisis had been diminished. The private room in the hospital wing where Andan lay, was occupied with the guardians, Elyon, and a few other people who could not help but be present. They all looked back puzzled at the Queen of Coronia, upon hearing her statement.

"No place for worries?"- Cornelia repeated in disbelief. "Your Majesty, first of all, the situation is almost deplorable. And second of all, mogriffs don't just fly around, carrying powdered sunflower seeds with them, this was clearly a planned assassination attempt on your son. I think that you should worry."

Caleb grabbed a hold of her arm warningly. It was enough that the discretion had completely failed and that part of the details of the Meridian crises had nevertheless been made available to Coronian royal figures. They didn't need to further defame themselves with unethical behavior, even though the rebel leader knew his girlfriend was right. This wasn't a coincidence.

"Cornelia, please. This is my fault."- Elyon shook her head bitterly, looking at the man on the hospital bed.

"No, honey. Don't say that. It's Phobos who is at fault and everyone knows it."- Miriadel said.

"No, mom. I couldn't provide security for my guests. Despite the veil, despite everything."

"Excuse us, your Majesty, we're just a little worried about some things."- Will took the word before any of these women could make matters worse.

Magana was already visibly in wonder of what to say, perturbed by everything that had happened, and by the words that were being said in the hospital wing. Knowing her at least a little, Will knew that the woman could not thrive in such an environment, and for that reason, tried to arrange things for her. But no. Taranee _had_ to be quicker:

"What we're trying to say is that the prince's allergy being added to the whole picture makes matters a little bit more specific."- Will glared at her friend as she watched her speak. "What are the odds of Phobos knowing such a personal thing about his Highness? Maybe there is something more..."

"Large, actually."- Magana finally found the right words to reply with. "Andan's allergy has long entered the public domain. It is enough for this Phobos, you speak of, to have done just a little fieldwork to know this and use it in his attack plans. But please, there is absolutely no reason for you to be concerned about my son, I assure you. Such things often happen to us when we leave Coronia..."

"They do?"- Irma raised an eyebrow.

For a moment Queen Magana seemed to regret the way she expressed herself, but quickly managed to tarnish the situation by saying:

"Well, yes...Not that I want to blow my own horn, believe me I do not, but Coronia is, after all, a wealthy realm. We have many enemies that have used Andan's allergy as means of dishonoring us and attempts to hurt us."

"You have?"- this time Will poked the water guardian in the ribs, preventing her from interrupting the Queen again.

Magana offered them a smile of courtesy:

"Thank you for everything, the engagement ceremony went well...Except for that unplanned situation of course, but all in all, I think that we should all be well pleased."

_I'd say_, Irma rolled her eyes. _This Queen is either wise water drunk or completely out of her mind._

"This is where we leave you to deal with your state issues in peace."- the hazel-haired queen took the dazed Miriadel's hand in a pompous manner.

"My family, entourage and I should head back to Coronia. We have obligations of our own. We will keep in touch, Queen Elyon. Thank you all of having us. Thank you! It was a pleasure."

_She's off her rocker. Period!_ Cornelia raged. _Just what was a pleasure in this entire day? Phobos sent his lurchers to ruin Elyon's engagement and he totally succeeded. Plus, he almost got her son poisoned, yet she's still satisfied with the ceremony?!_

_Then again, after Leonida's death, she must be having a hard time. The union between Elyon and Andan is of big importance to Queen Magana. After all, I'm sure the last thing she wants is to fail her kingdom_, Hay Lin joined the telepathic chat by rushing to the Queen's aid. _I think there's nothing wrong in being optimistic..._

_Optimism is one thing. Being dunce is a totally different science._ \- Irma crossed her arms on her chest and glared at the royals engaged in a talk. Andan had just completely woken up.

_Besides, Leonida died years ago, Hay Lin._\- Cornelia pointed. _You can't convince me that her mother is still under such a strong affect. Yes, her pain has hardly disappeared, but that can't justify her actions forevermore._

_Well, her husband died too..._

_So did her common sense._

_Cornelia!_

_Enough,_ Will silenced their thoughts. _They're wrapping this up. We have to get ready to escort the royals back to the portals. We can discuss all this later._

"Andan, are you sure that you're alright?"- Elyon wanted to know.

The prince gifted her with one of his rare, but Irma had to admit, charming smiles. He took a more comfortable sitting position as he patted her hand:

"I assure you. I'm fine. I have to leave now, Coronia awaits, but I will dream about the next time we will meet until we do. You really captivated me in some way, Elyon, and I have a big desire to get to know you."

And he had to ruin it. _Cheesy much_, Irma made a face, but Elyon seemed more than flattered.  
From her silent corner, next to Caleb, where she had remained inactive almost the entire time, Taranee could even assert that she had seen the young Queen blushing.

* * *

"I do not care what it takes, Raythor. It takes strength, it takes power and creativity on our part. But it takes more than that for Phobos to be able to do this to Meridian as long as I'm Mage."- Nerissa hissed in the captain's face. "Do what you have to do. You know your ways best. Find me that pawn. He or she is still here on Meridian, they cannot leave because of the veil so that should narrow the search. Find them and bring them to me. Dead or alive! Alive is my preference. So that I can personally squeeze every drop of life force out of the pitiful likeness of a ..."

"Easy Mage, take it easy."- the man growled under his nose. "What do you think, that I don't want that scum working for the royal brat to be executed? Of course, I'll do everything to get them. In fact, there is a trace..."

The noisy crash of the silver tray falling on the floor interrupted their conversation. Raythor and Nerissa turned sharply to the only others present in the large reception room. The little Dua and the veiled helper they had never noticed being in the same space up until the woman had dropped the tray.

"Could you get that child away from here?"- Raythor raised his voice at the perturbed maid. "It's not exactly a nursery you know. God, damn maids these days!"

"Forgive me..."- the veiled woman murmured, but the man had already gone on, ignoring her presence:

"One of the guards in front of Cedric's cell was able to see a veiled figure in black. A female figure. She nearly killed Vathek with one sweep of her hand after he attempted to capture her. He is stunned and can't yet tell the details, but the second guard saw the bundle of blond hair that Vathek had torn off the culprit's head under the scarf. Now what we have to do is find this enchantress and discover her connection to the darned prince."

"Why didn't you say any of this earlier?!"- Nerissa exclaimed. "Where is this hair? Show me it!"

Raythor nodded and began to dig through the pockets of his cape and pants for the pouch. The lock of hair had to be in the leather pouch. He had put it there after the soldiers had brought it ... But the pouch was gone.

"It's gone."- he realized shook. "But I don't understand, it was in me just before I walked in this saloon. How-"

"How the hell do you lose something as important as that, you ignorant fool!"- Nerissa attacked him and, much to his dismay, started rummaging through his pockets in her turn. Trying not to sweat from the awkwardness created by her hands practically touching him everywhere, the man just took a deep breath waiting for her to finish.

"I told you I didn't lose it."- he stated firmly once her nails brushed against his abdomen for the last time. She didn't seem to care about what she was doing to him. "It has vanished. Someone has used magic. The culprit, she must be near!"

"Arzu, where's granny? Can we go home yet, these people are odd!"- Dua's voice reached Nerissa's ears, breaking her off of her deep ponderings.

"Indeed she must..."- a sudden realization hit her, as the hiss slid her lips and she turned around abruptly.

"Yes, my prince, we are going. Let us find the Queen,"- the veiled maid took his hand and started leading the child to the exits.

"Your scarf, Arzu."- Nerissa's ice tone stopped them. "Take it off, if you will let me see your hair."

Raythor stared dumbfounded, as the ex-guardian made her way to the maid with big steps. Her face was sealed in a cold expression as well, as she reached for the woman's attire.

"No, Mage, my face, it was burnt in an accident many years ago, I wear this scarf in order to avoid troubling people's sight."- Arzu tried to explain herself, but Nerissa was relentless.

"I said take your scarf off, you fool."- she hissed and pulled the scarf down without further ado. Arzu gasped as the other woman did that, carelessly pulling her hair all the way to her eyes.

"Granny!"- Dua almost screamed.

"What the hell is going on around here?!"

Nerissa tightened her full lips as she stared at the locks on her fingers. Blood-red, a few shades more intense than the ones of the redhead that was making her way to her in that same moment. Not a hue close to blonde..._How disappointing._

Nerissa lifted her eyes up to Arzu's almost completely burned face and then moved her focus to the guardians who had just entered the room, followed by her majesty Magana and her son.

Everyone looked in confusion and reproach directly at her, and her successor's words of indictment were not delayed:

"What in God's name are you doing again, Nerissa?!"- Will glared at her and then looked at Arzu's scared face. Dua looked even more terrified before he ran to hide behind his grandmother.

"Did you do this to her face?!"- Irma couldn't help but exclaim in shock.

"No, Arzu's face got to be like that years ago in a terrible fire back in our Palace. It's too sad for her youth, ever since then she has been wearing something over her head to hide the scars."- Magana explained. "But I don't understand, why are you holding our maid like that?"

Nerissa didn't reply to that, she just ran her fingers through the redhead's hair one last time before letting her go.

"Never mind."- she put it simply. "I'll see you at home, Cornelia. Oh, pardon me. _Your_ home. And don't bother, I'll pick up my grandson from your parents."

Will shook her head angrily after the brunette teletrasnported, and turned around to Cornelia.

"You know how she holds grudges."- the Earth guardian huffed. "Of course, she'll be mad at me for lashing out at her the other day. But we all know whose fault that was, actually."- and she gave Taranee, who closed her eyes with a silent sigh, the stink eye.

_And for that, she yanked Arzu's head like that?_ Hay Lin was still dumbfounded as she and the others gathered around Will for the group teletransportaion to the Infinite City's gates.

_She's totally crazy,_ Will reminded them.

_What else is new_, Irma's unimpressed tone could be heard crystal-clear even in their telepathic connection, right before they disappeared, leaving Raythor alone and with, finally, less strained pants.

* * *

**_The Hidden Mansion, 10 PM, local time_**

"You lied to me! You knew that only the true heir to the throne of Coronia can lead anyone else to the Spring, yet you sent me on a misleading trail. How dare you?!"- but the woman completely ignored his yells of protest as she entered the Hidden Mansion. It had been a long day and even she needed her rest.

The whines of that man would be cut off when she handed him the toy he'd asked for, or at least she hoped.

"Forgive me, my King. But I needed to occupy your attention with something for the day, otherwise, your impatience could've gotten in the way of my...of_ our_ plans."

Phobos's eyes shone dangerously as he cornered the young woman. She took steps back until her back was touching the wall.

"I do not like that, my squeeze. I do not like that one bit."- his voice was low, yet clear. "I don't like it when you try to outsmart me, because you cannot do that, no one will. And you will not do such things behind my back again, or you'll see me very, very bad. Much worse than you dreamed of having me, and you'll regret ever wanting me and taking me as an ally. I warn you for the first and last time."

Having sensed the state of affairs going south, the young woman placed her hands around his neck and spoke gently before he could push her off. She was determined to calm him down and be heard:

"My love, I'm so sorry, please don't be mad at me. I would never do this if it wasn't to protect you."

"Protect me?"- Phobos frowned. "Protect me from what-"

"From yourself, of course."- the woman shook her long blond locks. "Tell me, my King, if I hadn't charmed you with the idea of the Golden Spring, wouldn't have you insisted on coming to Meridian with me? Wouldn't have you exposed yourself to great danger in your desire to punish your sister and all those who've done you wrong?"

Phobos thought on her words for a few moments. Frankly speaking, she was wrong. He wasn't going to risk his freedom before obtaining more power, but he liked the concern in her voice. The idea that this beautiful, yet crazy girl, couldn't quite read him out, gave him the feeling of supremacy and maybe even something else:

"Whatever. Let's not dwell pointlessly. Tell me about your action on Meridian. Did you have success?"

"Did you even have doubts?"- and with a meaningful smirk playing on her lips, the young tanned woman used her magic to make a seemingly ordinary leather bag. "This magic satchel origins from ancient times. It has the power to gather whatever its owner desires. I've put aside much of what we needed inside of it."- she smiled at the man. His own lips were slowly stretching in a grin too as he listened to her. " And just like goddess Rhiannon*, gave it to her husband, Prince Pwyll, I now give it to you. To serve your every need and desire during this war. The war of the ungraced rulers!"

Phobos took the satchel from her with hungry eyes. He reached to put his hand in it, naming the one he wanted to pull out of its enchanted void. Truly, such a delightful thing Coronian magic could be. The walls opened and a bright light blinded their eyes.

A moment later, the body lay on the polished floor. His former second-hand man and confidant who had betrayed and forsaken his trust, so brutally, during the last war with the guardians and Kandrakar.

"Welcome, Cedric."- Phobos's face twisted into a sinister, black smile, as he looked at the man in his feet. "I am so glad that after such a long wait, it is finally time for you to face the consequences of the path you chose for yourself by robbing me of my power."

* * *

_Trivia:  
__**graumer***- a mystic worm-like creature that feeds off emotions and the powers of others. It can change shape and form to whatever it desires. The more power it obtains, the more dangerous it can be. (in the book, Dua had devoured so much power, he had reached the size and form of a giant cobra that almost seized the power of the Golden Spring)_  
_**Rhiannon***\- a major figure in the **Mabinogi**, the medieval Welsh story collection. She appears mainly in the First Branch of the Mabinogi, and again in the Third Branch. She is a strong-minded Otherworld woman, who chooses Pwyll, prince of Dyfed (west Wales), as her consort, in preference to another man to whom she has already been betrothed. She is intelligent, politically strategic, beautiful, and famed for her wealth and generosity._


	7. Illegal Affairs

Chapter 7: Illegal Affairs   
_"If you do big things they print your face, and if you do little things they print only your thumbs."_

_The Hidden Mansion, the night after Elyon's __engagement_

"Scream as much as you want. There is no one here to hear your pitiful cries, you treasonous animal. No one to be moved by your pain."- Phobos ordained, swinging the heavy whip he held. "I promised you that you'd pay dearly for betraying my trust! Look, Cedric, I learned to keep my vows after all!"

Cedric rose weakly from the floor but maintained his dignity. His naked torso, all covered in red-sore wounds and bruises caused by Phobos's whiplashes, turned to the cruel prince.

"Be as it may, _my liege_. I regret nothing, most certainly not turning against you when I had the chance."- he hissed, enraging the other man even more. "After years of imprisonment and after losing everything, nothing can affect me anymore."

Then he screamed again, as Phobos kept scourging him. It had been a good couple hour of that, but the lord would not relent, much to the former ruler's anger and outrage. Phobos had expected painful apologies, despair and reconciliation. He had expected his right-hand man to be_ dying_ to get his weal again, but nothing. No such luck. No such words or actions had taken place so far, and that was annoying the prince greatly.

"Is that so? Think again, Cedric."- he yelled. "Look around yourself and think again! A new time has come, my time, don't you see? Can you actually afford to be my enemy during this new era?!"

This time the whip whacked the prisoner's face. Cedric roared yet again, then turned his bleeding face to Phobos. For a moment, there was a brief silence in the bronze underground, lit by hundreds of burning torches.

"A new era? It's rather amusing, Prince Phobos, that was exactly the name you gave your grandiose _failure_ ten years ago upon taking Nerissa's seal."

"It was the best I could do with an improvised plan which I was forced to compile on the go after my empire of 13 years crumbled into pieces due to your incompetence!"- the prince gritted his teeth as he got dangerously close to the fallen man. "In point of fact, it was well worth it to kill you long ago, after all your transgressions, betrayals and low actions against me, _poor orphan_. But you have a special place in my heart, what to do. I gave you hope and a chance to develop when there was no one there for you, and I have known you for so long that I am inclined to give you one last chance. But you don't seem to want it, Cedric."- Phobos said with disappointment inspecting the other man closely. The chained ex-Lord was forced to stand up and lean against the cold wall as the cold green pupils slid all over his tormented self.

"Why?"- Phobos added in the end. The annoyance caused by Cedric's silence was evident in his voice. "What gives you the incomprehensibly weak-minded notion that you can refuse me?"

"She fails to give you ultimate satisfaction, doesn't she?"- the shapeshifter spoke with an odd spark in his eye. "The blonde bimbo. That's why you wanted me here. Who is she, anyway?"

"Be silent, you insolent dolt!"- Phobos raged and scourged him yet again. "Don't you dare trample on my chances for success again!"

Phobos looked around himself as Cedric fell down to pule from the pain of his freshest wound. Then he totally abandoned the whip and used his bare hands to grab a hold of the shapeshifter.

"You ought to decide, Cedric."- he whispered seriously. 'Whether you'll stand by my side or not. Decide wisely, because this time I will not tolerate betrayal or failure. This is your last chance to show me your value and dedication. Don't disappoint your only true intimate in life, little orphan."

These words seemed to have pulled something. A string, hidden deep inside the former Lord's heart. So many things and memories connected him to the diabolical man standing in front of him. He could beat him with his scourge, but Cedric knew, he was also the one who could caress and reward him best. He had made him a noble figure, once, something which, while being an ordinary orphan, the shapeshifter had never even dreamed of. No, Cedric would never forget the prince's virtue to him. Nor would Phobos, as it seemed.

"I humbly ask your forgiveness and kneel before you, sire."- Cedric did as he said. "I appreciate your warmth and solicitude even after so many years."

"Don't spoil yourself, we've warmed each other more than once."- Phobos grinned, pleased with what he was observing. "But that is better. I'm glad you take your chance at heart, Cedric. But this time, I'm sure you'll understand, I'll need a little more than your word to keep me calm. The stakes are too big, my dear Lord."

Cedric almost choked. His crazy youth had already punished him once. He would not suffer all his life because of that one mistake.

"Of course."- he nodded, lifting his head to look at his master. "What do you want me to swear on, my prince?"

Phobos's grin gradually quenched as he looked at the shapeshifter with his cold probing eyes:

"On your mother's memory."- he then said calmly. "Break this vow and watch the consequences for her soul. It would be an ugly sight, Cedric, trust me. You wouldn't want to ever overstep your word if you knew. It's a fair deal that will ensure your eternal loyalty to me."

Cedric was frozen in his place. Even though he had been orphaned as a young child, he had always had warm feelings and fond memories of his mother. She had given her life to save him. One of the few people who had loved him throughout his entire life... Phobos knew all this and hence used it so skillfully against him. Well, Cedric thought, may it be as he pleases. All is better than dying lonesome in the retarded queen's dungeons.

"I swear, my liege. I swear in loyalty to you, in the name of my mother. May I be devoted to you as long as you please."

Phobos's smile returned, wider than before, as he heard that and the other man kissed his hand. A whole new force had returned under his wing, and it was a cause and reason of pride and happiness. Soon Elyon, Meridian and the whole universe would understand why. Very soon, everything would be as he commanded.

"Do tell me though, my prince. Which is this realm? Where are we? And who is that girl..."- there was still a hint of jealousy in his voice as he spoke, but Cedric softened it as the other man helped him to his feet. "Her powers are remarkable, I must say."

"Oh, she? She's my squeeze."- Phobos explained with a mysterious smug smile. "She's my little golden goose, and she doesn't even know it yet."

* * *

_A few days later, Heatherfield, Cook house, 8:35 PM_

Theresa Cook sighed tiredly and tried to massage the tiredness away. It was pointless, this last month had been especially difficult for her, both in personal and work terms, and she was a person who always put work on a pedestal, even though she tried her best not to let that affect her family life. One of these days she was going to take some time off, that was what she used to promise herself and everyone around her. It was just that she had been postponing it for years now. Theresa couldn't even remember the last time she had went on a proper vacation, perhaps it was a hiking trip with her husband a few years back in time? The judge didn't remember, and she didn't even need to remember. She had embraced her workaholic trait long ago, and it was a part of her routine, but even that was inferior to the instances in which she felt motherly concern.

At the times when she was worried about her children, Theresa could forget everything and everyone; she was ready to cross any boundaries in the name of their well-being, and that was exactly what the current case was calling for. Taranee had returned to their family home, looking unhappy and tired the night before, even though she had moved away very soon. Something was wrong and that didn't give her mother peace of mind:

"She has locked her door, I think she's sleeping."- Lionel informed as he came into the study- a spacious, stylish work space which he and his wife shared in the house. "She'll be fine, Terry. Don't worry about her, as you've said yourself, Tara's a mature woman now. Give yourself some rest."

Theresa didn't move from her position, facing the wall with the many family photos, certificates and acknowledgments. The wall of success, as she called it. Because for her, family and career had always been the biggest success. She always stood before the wall when she was restless and in need of reassurance, but this evening, even that wasn't enough.

"Terry."- Lionel placed his hand on her tense shoulder. "Listen to me, let all the stress glide aside and come downstairs with me. Let me fix a glass of wine for you."

"You know that I can't relax, Lionel. Not after what that woman told me, anyway."- she pulled away nervously. "Can you imagine that our son hid such an important thing from us?!"

Her husband fought the urge to sigh. Here they were, about to start with the discussion topic on duty once again.

"Theresa...hadn't we already decided that what is best is to look forward to the future of having a grandson, rather than banging our heads on this."- he reasoned with her. "Whatever happened, happened. Why must we know? Taranee had her reasons not to like this girl Cassidy, but now they're all good. Where's the problem?"

"Exactly!"- Theresa exclaimed dramatically.

Lionel followed her pacing through the room with his eyes until his head started spinning:

"I tried to uncover the reason for Taranee's dislike for Cassidy."- the judge spoke. "I spent _days_ with her and her grandmother, I got to know them and I made sure that Peter has feelings for her! Apart from living in that old neighborhood, there's nothing wrong with the Chacons, Liol, I've ascertained that! That's exactly what makes me even more worried about our daughter."

Lionel didn't say anything. There was no way he'd ever tell her that the new situation actually satisfied him. He hadn't wanted for Taranee to move out anyway...In fact, it was going to be best if she came to live back with them again... At least for a few more years.

"I dreaded that something bad has happened between her and Nigel, but I checked with the Ashcrofts and the dean of his faculty. He really is out of town for the week and it is related to his studies."- Theresa went on and looked down.

"Terry..."- her husband shook his head. The extremes she could sometimes reach were just ridiculous. "I know you are doing everything with the best of intentions, but I am afraid you will have the opposite effect. You need your rest. Come with me."

This time, Theresa didn't pull away and allowed her husband to slowly, but caringly lead her. She eyed Taranee's room door in the bottom of the corridor one last time before taking the stairs down. No, Theresa Cook was thoroughgoing, always supporting the truth and fighting for it. She had always been following her instincts, they had hardly ever let her down. She wasn't going to start thinking differently just now.

_"Garden Plaza", the following day_

"Come in, Theresa. It's a pleasure to catch up with you, I was very happy when you called and suggested to drop by today."- Elizabeth Hale opened the door of her luxurious penthouse with her usual restrained smile.

She wasn't surprised when she saw the other woman entering, dressed in a set of a strict, but elegant jacket and skirt in graphite black. Her personal style seemed to be another embodiment of her work. And, although Elizabeth wasn't fond of black in general, she was not a big fan of bright colors either, ergo, she was dressed in a pale blue cashmere sweater and a pair of simple, but expensive jeans.

She and Theresa were quite alike, both reserved, moderate and considerate. Preferring to keep their own issues within the narrowest circle. They had known each other since their college days, for almost 30 years now, and then had gradually became friends around their daughters.

"Come, I've set tea for us on the terrace. We might as well enjoy one of the last sunny days."- Theresa smiled in response.  
Each time she visited the penthouse, she couldn't help being impressed. Not only was "Garden Plaza" one of the finest and fanciest neighborhoods in the city, the Hales' penthouse, in particular, was most probably the most exquisite of them all. A true architectural masterpiece, and so stylishly furnished- each time the judge visited, there was always a new masterpiece of decoration added to adorn the rich home.

Theresa followed the hostess to the huge terrace, one of three which she owned, the size of the playground in Heatherfield's "Hannah Baker "park. It was always uplifting and even a little surreal for Theresa to think that Elizabeth, who she had briefly been acquainted with, knowing her as a studious girl coming from a middle-class family, had achieved all this glitz and glamour.

Of course, there was no room for envy or regret on Theresa's part, such emotions and thoughts were beneath her dignity. Although she and her husband earned well enough for themselves and stood well above the middle-class bar, they were far beneath the capabilities of the Hale family and she knew it.

And what if, in their first year at Midgale's *renowned University, Harold Hale had asked _her_ out? Elizabeth had probably still been in high school at the time, but Theresa had had no interest whatsoever in the handsome, but arrogant man, who happened to be the blonde's husband today. Arrogant according to her, at least. Nowadays, the wealthy bank director hardly even remembered that he was _ever_ interested in her back at the time, and she had no intention of returning to it either. Nor was she to share it with his wife.

Theresa rolled her eyes and got angry with herself for she remembered such things at all. That had been so many years ago, and it had hardly meant anything. She and Harold had never even gone to that date... Why had she thought of it at all? Whatever! That was not why she came to their chic home today.

"Theresa, would you like some caviar with your bruschettas? Its taste compliments them quite nicely. I could even bring you some champagne, if you'd like."

The judge felt herself staring blankly and hurried to shake her head with a smile. It was only 10:30 AM. If someone didn't know Elizabeth, they'd think she was just showing off, but Theresa knew her well enough. The blonde mother of two, was just so well accustomed to this lifestyle, she was constantly offering its etiquette to others as means of politeness.

"Thanks, Liz, but I'll just have the tea. Unfortunately, I don't have much time as it is, and I hasten to talk to you before my next trial."

"Oh, that's just fine, I understand."- Elizabeth crossed her legs as she sat on the tall white garden chair. "Even though I can't imagine how your nerves endure all the stress."

"They don't."- Theresa laughed almost soundlessly. Self-irony was not her forte, nor something she often resorted to, it was odd how Elizabeth was somehow able to provoke it in her. "Which is exactly why I can't take any problems that my kids may have."

"Oh, dear. Everything's alright, is it not?"- and Elizabeth measured the other woman with concern.

Theresa shook her head. She was diving straight into it. Maybe it was for the best. Otherwise, she'd get lost in the blonde's small talk and miss sentencing a particularly disgusting felon on whose case she had been for weeks.

"Elizabeth, it is alien for me to do something like this, especially now that our daughters are young women. It is unthinkable to interfere with their problems, but the_ circumstances_ are pressing me to do so, because I worry about Taranee."

"Problems? Taranee and Cornelia?"- Theresa looked at the other mother. She hadn't expected her to know. She, herself, wasn't supposed to know the details, and she was sure that she still didn't exactly know all of them. But after overhearing Taranee talking on the phone, about 'trying to make it up to Cornelia in vain', the judge had taken measures.

Earlier that same morning, before she even called Elizabeth, Theresa had gone to her daughter's house with the intentions to talk to Cornelia then and there. Theresa knew that when her Taranee was feeling helpless, matters had to be serious. Whatever she had wronged Cornelia with was making her miserable, hindering her from her normal self and life, and her mother couldn't watch her like that anymore. Instead of her daughter's blonde friend, however, Theresa had come face to face with Nerissa, the only one present in the big family house. That same woman who had visited her some time ago to inform her about Peter impregnating her friend Cassidy. Cornelia's oddly youthful mother in-law... Theresa knew that cosmetic surgery these days was very advanced, she, herself, was thinking of getting her under-eye bags removed in the near future, but damn, Nerissa looked more than incredible. She had noticed it back at Cornelia's baby shower too, back in the summer, but coming close to the woman today, the judge couldn't help being astonished another time.

In an obvious hurry, the tall brunette had sharply sent Theresa away, confiding to her, that if she actually wanted to remedy the situation between her daughter and her friend, she'd need a 'miracle'.

_"I don't know what to tell you other than that, Mrs. Cook. After Taranee accused Cornelia of such a terrible thing, her resentment has reflected on all of us."- _Nerissa had said with her hands crossed on her chest.

_"But what has Taranee accused her of doing?"- _Theresa had asked helplessly.

_"Cheating. With your son, that is. Is it not inconceivable? They're supposed to be best friends, yet Taranee still made all these wrong conclusions and said such a harsh thing. Well, I take it that she has simply needed another argument to justify her reluctance for Cassidy to become the mother of her niece or nephew. "_

_"What?! But why? I don't unders..."_

_"I'm sorry Mrs. Cook, I'd love to be able to talk to you about it, but I really must go. Why not discuss this with Cornelia's mother?"- _Nerissa had suggested coldly._ "If I know one thing for sure, it is that her daughter would surely never play my son for a sucker, yet again, it is quite humiliating to even discuss such a possibility, don't you think? Go to her if you may, Mrs. Cook. And may your daughter learn to be less quick to judge people. It would surely benefit her much more than this negative outlook to the world, wouldn't you agree?"_

"Cheating?! Why would Taranee accuse Cornelia of cheating on her fiancé with Peter?!"- Elizabeth stood up in shock upon hearing everything.

"It has definitely been immature and stupid of her, I agree, but..."

"Leave that, Theresa, I want to know why? Why would your daughter say such a thing without a reason?"- Theresa looked over at the blonde incredulously. "I mean, Taranee has always been reasonable, so this makes me wonder, why Peter of all people? She must have seen something to say that!"

"Well, Peter and Cornelia did stay friends even after their relationship ended, so it is possible, but that doesn't automatically-"

"Relationship?!"- Elizabeth repeated shook. "What relationship?! My Cornelia and Peter... When the heck has that even happened?"

"Years ago, Elizabeth calm down...What's so strange about it, anyway? They were teenagers."- the judge spoke. "Maybe she has never told you because it has never been too serious, but it's the only thing which I can think of as a justification of Taranee's awful accusation, which I'm ashamed of-"

"Theresa, that's the thing, what if she was right?!" -the blonde started panicking. "What if Cornelia and Peter..."

"I know my son, Elizabeth, I'm sure that he'd never do that, especially since he's expecting a child."- Theresa was starting to get frustrated. Did Elizabeth really know nothing about her daughter? This conversation really spoke much of their relationship and it was saddening. It gave the judge a sour feeling. A little devil in her head woke up upon witnessing this, and viciously began to whisper to her: You're not very close with your daughter either. Even she has secrets from you, and you know it. Ever since you mistreated Nigel! Your relationship has changed since more than ten years, you're not much better than Elizabeth!

_No,_ Theresa shook her head, Cornelia and her mother were on another level.

"Child."- Elizabeth had totally lost the string by now. "Peter is expecting whose child?"

"This girl from the suburbs, Cassidy, she is a young doctor. They have been together for two years."- _and I knew nothing of it_, she finished in her head and gloomed. _Who am I to criticize Elizabeth, really. We're just as bad as each other_. "But that is not the matter of this talk."- Theresa coughed. "I wanted to ask you for help, Liz. Again, I realize that it sounds ridiculous, but my daughter can't live with what she's done. We have to get them to properly talk and forgive each other. Especially Cornelia, if you can make her give Taranee a chance to speak and express how sorry she actually is, their bond will recover effortlessly."

But in the strange expression of the other woman, as she listened to her, the judge immediately understood the answer. She just couldn't do it. And how could she, when she wasn't at all as close with her daughter as she surely wished to be. Just like her...

"That's the thing, Terry."- and even though Elizabeth smiled at her, the treacherous tear rolled down her cheek. "Тhat's why I totally fail to understand Nerissa's suggestion. By now she surely has discovered that me and Cornelia have grown so much apart, that I'm ashamed of myself. How did I let this happen, when did this all happen and why, I can't tell you. But it did, my daughter has been isolating me from her life for years."- she whispered sadly. "If there's anyone who can convince her to swallow her pride and give Tara a chance, that's Caleb and his family. My daughter treats her in-laws warmer than she treats us."

"Believe it or not, Elizabeth, to a certain extent, I know just what you mean."- Theresa admitted and took the other woman's hand in hers.

"You and your kids? You feel them isolating you?"- Elizabeth was almost surprised when the brunette nodded with tightly shut eyes. She was fighting to cease the tears.

"It has been worse than it is now, but I can't tell you how much it has been hurting me over the years. Watching them grow and losing my connection to them, slowly, but painfully. With Taranee it has been most hear-breaking for sure. I don't know what we've done wrong, Liz. Or actually, for some parts, I do. And that is the _worst thing_."

"Oh, same story."- Elizabeth sobbed in response. "We're seemingly on good terms now, but there have been times when I have felt like Cornelia_ hates_ me. And our bond has never been fully cured ever since. One just feels it. A mother can feel it with her heart."

* * *

Half an hour later, Theresa bid her goodbyes and left the penthouse. She was feeling better. She and Elizabeth had helped each other after all, soothing each other and that inner turmoil which they felt. Now she had a new mindset and idea of how to get the relentless blonde to forgive Taranee. Her mother may have not been able to solve the problem at once, but at least she had given her an idea, and that was what mattered to Theresa. Elizabeth was a good friend, and even though they were quite distant for most of the time, getting with her even for a chat, could be therapeutic.

Those were the moods the judge was leaving with as she walked in the big elevator. An older lady decked in jewelry had been the only other person in it, but she had walked out on the Hale's floor. But even though they wouldn't be taking the elevator together, Theresa couldn't help notice the woman estimating her over her shoulder up until the doors closed. And then she recognized her. Vera Hale. Harold's mother. But why was she looking at her like that?

"Babette, it's me!"- Elizabeth left the watering can on the terrace. As she heard that voice from inside her home, she instantly felt the good feeling of being understood, leave her. Vera was just the opposite of that. She _never_ got her or liked her, to begin with.

"Good day, Vera. You didn't mention you were coming?"- the blonde muttered a reluctant greet as she walked in the big living room. "Any special occasion?"- she added after her mother in-law didn't even look at her.

Vera was lost in her thoughts. Eventually, she stopped her tentative gaze right on the blonde.

"This woman. This woman that I just saw outside the apartment. Who was she?"

"Who, you mean Theresa?"- Elizabeth fought the desire to snort. The old redhead was maddening. "She's a friend of mine. Surely, you've seen her before, at least at Cornelia's baby shower."

"The baby shower, yes... I thought that woman was familiar back then, yet I was too busy thinking about my granddaughter. And her hair, her hair was shorter then. That's why I didn't- I didn't consider, even... Theresa..."- Vera stoically raised her hand and began repeating the same gesture, as if she had blocked while trying to remember something. "Theresa Morgan? Theresa Morgan from the University of Midgale? That Theresa?"

"Theresa Cook."- her daughter in-law corrected her slightly annoyed. "But yes, I think Morgan used to be her maiden name. And she did graduate in Midgale, we were colleagues for a few years. Why-"

"Yes, I know you went to Midgale, don't worry!"- Vera snapped, suddenly looking at her with endless vexation. "After all, that was just where my son met you and eventually chose you over her! Even though that girl was just right for him, but no, you had to come along with your shameless outfits and blonde hair... So lightly, as if you were actually that sensational, huh, please! I know that no man reaches for under a woman's skirt to look for a library card, yet-"

"Oh, God, I can't believe this!" -Elizabeth glared at the old woman. "How many times must I tell you that I don't want to hear about this girl I supposedly bested, Vera? You're just looking for an excuse to start insulting me, I know it! What does Theresa have to do with all this? You're despicable! You just need to hear key word 'Midgale' to start bombarding me with bitter words and relish in it! Why are you doing this? You're so..."

"Because, you improvident blonde -"- Vera interrupted her furiously. "- Theresa Morgan_ is_ that girl! Don't you understand? Harold chose _you_ over _her_!"

* * *

That same night when the bank director returned home, he found it dark and empty. Of course, Lillian was, as per usual, off to some place with her boyfriend. It had been hard enough to control her before, but ever since she was an adult, it was even harder to hold sway over her decisions. Harold smiled and left his coat on the hook. This wasn't what he wanted, anyway. He and his wife weren't one of these obsessive parents who didn't know when it was time to let their children take on their own way. All they wanted, was to make sure that they can take care of themselves, both emotionally and financially, and when that condition was met, they were willing to let them fly away from the family nest.  
They had done just that with Cornelia. Naturally, now was Lillian's turn. This way, they were ensuring that their kids are to become mature and capable members of the community, because in the end, was that not one of the most important things in a time of social disorder, lability, and people without goals, that were increasingly common?

At least in that respect, the father could be proud. He and Elizabeth might've not done just every right thing that they should've, according to his wife, at least, but they had turned their daughters into independent, capable young ladies, who knew how to pursue what they wanted and how to handle it. So that, from now on, every decision they'd make would be their own.

Speaking of his wife, where was she? Had she fallen asleep already due to her migraine? Harold smirked and threw his suitcase on the couch before taking the stairs to the upper floor. He had an idea of when her headaches occurred- when she wasn't in the mood to deal with him or when she was angry with him. He made a face. But what had he done to provoke Elizabeth's irritation? In the morning, when he had been leaving for work, everything had been good. They had even...no, no. Harold pulled the white shirt out of his pants. He would try his best to get on her good side, after all, why waste a golden opportunity which a night alone with his wife was.

"Sweetheart, you sleeping?"- he showed his head in the master bedroom and smiled. Elizabeth wasn't asleep, she was reading a book which she barely looked away from, just to acknowledge his arrival.

"So glad to see you awake."- Harold grinned and proceeded to stripping into his underwear. "Where's the daughter? She called, right?"

"Yes."-Elizabeth retorted and went to the next page of her book. "Some party she went to. I told her she can't go on a school night, but you know her."

"Ah, you know seniors nowadays. They rarely ever go to school."- her husband waved his hand. "What matters is that she has good grades. She'll graduate with a good diploma."

"I guess that's true."- Elizabeth nodded sourly, avoiding his gaze.

Oh, she was pissed alright. Harold just had to choose a fitting way to find out the exact reason why.

"So, how was your day, sweetheart. What did you do? Is there anything on your mind that you'd like to share?"

Elizabeth finally took a minute to stare right at him. He sure was especially bright and well-meaning tonight. Even happy and responsive, something which his work fatigue often prevented him from being. From all the nights when he'd just come home lay down next to her like a corpse...It wasn't like they were actually such a frequent occurrence; Harold was an active partner in general, but Elizabeth was annoyed that he had chosen to be especially willing to prove that tonight. Just when she was _trying_ to be angry with him.

"It's interesting that you ask, Harold. Did you speak to your mother or something?"- Elizabeth asked sharply as she set her book aside and took her glasses off.

Her husband seemed to be thinking on his answer.

"Yes...we did see each other for a few minutes, sweetheart, but you know that I like to take no part in your arguments. Whatever you fought for this time; I'd prefer to remain neutral as usual. This is what I told her, it's what I'm telling you too-"

"I see."- Elizabeth frowned. "She called you to complain about me, even though it was _her_ who ruined my entire day, as always!"

"No, no."- the man put his hands up in a calming manner. "It's nothing like that, Beth. I had to pop along her place to leave her the money which she wanted to from one of her accounts. I took a few minutes to drink a cup of coffee with her and this came in question. The fact that you two had a fight again."

"I understand."- his wife nodded grimly, but by the look on her face, he could tell that she wasn't at all understanding.

"What is going on, Beth? I thought you two were long past these ridiculous quarrels. At this age..."

"Well, as hard as I'm trying not to quarrel with her or fall for her provocations."- Elizabeth interrupted him angrily. "It's quite impossible when she constantly brings up that girl whose place I supposedly took in your life!"

"What girl?!"- Harold was sincerely bewildered at that point, but Elizabeth was just beginning. She shot a glare at him and placed her hands on her hips.

"Oh, please Harold! It all makes sense now! Why you'd never talk about it when it came about! That girl who you dated before me was Theresa all along. Well, that's just funny now. I realize that at our age and stage in life, it's silly to be mad at you for something like that, but I just wish that you were honest about it, when I asked you about her on a few occasions in the past."

"Sweetheart, sweetheart!"- and Harold carefully took her hands to place them around his shoulders. "What are you even talking about, my dear? What girl, what Theresa? I don't get it, I've had quite a few girlfriends before you, I don't..."

"Our Theresa."- Elizabeth interrupted him through clenched teeth. His last sentence had seriously annoyed her. "I wouldn't be asking about your love life before the beginning of our relationship if it wasn't for your mother, constantly bringing it up to insult me with it, to be able to prove her words that I'm of lower class and quality!"

"You know what my mother's like, why care about what she has to say-"

"Because, it is impossible not to care when that kind of abuse has been going on for over 20 years!"

Harold just blinked at her for a few seconds and exhaled deeply, looking around their well-arranged bedroom. Having such a pointless discussion was not what he had planned for tonight.

He had purposely allowed Lillian to go to that party behind his wife's back, just to ensure the continuation of the wonderful time they had spent together in the morning. But by the looks of it, it was unlikely to happen. Elizabeth was obviously _not_ in the mood.

"But, Beth, God damn it, who is this Theresa you speak of even? 'Our Theresa' means nothing for me- "

"Our friend Theresa, how many Theresas do you know! Theresa Cook."- Elizabeth barked. "Or should I say Theresa Morgan! She was here today, your mother saw her and then told me that she was actually the infamous girl. The one which she has been poisoning me with stories of, over the last decades!"

Elizabeth finished and glared expectantly at her husband who remained silent for one long minute. And then, he burst out laughing. Elizabeth blinked in shock for a couple of seconds, but his laugh didn't die down. Her bewilderment was quick to turn into irritation:

"And what is so funny, if I dare ask?!"

"Pardon me, Beth, really."- Harold managed to say between the laughs. "But you really crack me up."

"Really."- she sulked. "I guess that I'm not only your tramp, I'm a clown too!"

"You're my beautiful wife and the mother of my two gorgeous daughters."- the bank director raked over the coals with a sportive, yet sincere smile. "And you know that full well. What actually amused me, was the fact that my mother decided to bring this up just now. I guess she really has been bored today."

"Huh?"- the blonde let her husband embrace her. The man rested his back against the frame of their big bed and pulled his wife closer in the embrace.

"Well, do you think that today was the first time my mother came to realize who Theresa Cook was? She has known that our daughter and her daughter are friends, for years. She considers the Cooks a part of the elite strata of society. She hasn't actually brought it up in the last decades, because she has had fun tormenting you with stories of the infamous girl, who I've never even been on an actual date with. You see, there has never been a reason for her to reveal that Theresa is the said girl, because there has never been anything significant between me and her. But today, after she has seen her here, ol' Vera has decided to taunt you some more. Don't you get it, my silly baby?"

Elizabeth blinked feeling quite stupid, now that it all made sense. For a moment, she had considered that her husband had never revealed the truth to her, because his feelings for Theresa hadn't died down... Ridiculous! What had she even thought? If that had been true, Vera would had broken their marriage years ago. In fact, the old snob had taken Cornelia and the girls to a few places in the past, of course she had long known who Taranee's mother is.

"Harold, when will your mother finally change?"- the blonde asked, as she rested her hand on her husband's chest.

The fair man laughed boomingly:

"Never, sweetheart. And we're both wont to living with that fact. Say, what did Theresa do here today, anyway? Did you call her up to show her your new gardening set? I know you two are friends up to a point?"

He was already kissing her shoulders, moving his hands all over her body, determined to continue their interrupted morning intimate moment. Impassioned by that herself, Elizabeth didn't quite feel like going over her deep talk with the other woman from earlier:

"No, she...she wanted to talk about the girls."- she managed to moan as she wrapped her arms around her husband's torso. "Screw that and screw _me_, Harold!"

Her husband just laughed before pulling her nightgown off.

* * *

_Meanwhile... _

"Oh, it's _you_ again."- Nerissa put her hands on her waist. October nights were colder than the days, she could feel it, as the stewed wind glided the coldness all over her exposed skin.

The ex-guardian wrapped herself more tightly in her black satin robe and stared at the woman who had just parked in front of the big yard.

"Good evening, Mrs. Crossnic."- Theresa said flatly as she made her way to the porch. "I take it that Cornelia is still unavailable?"

"Well, given the time, I'd say she's sleeping."- in the dark, her eyes shone like those of a cat. The judge estimated her once again. This woman just looked like a goddess, even when she was about to sleep.

"A tad late for visits, isn't it, Mrs. Cook? What is more, you're a woman. Aren't you scared to be out all by yourself in this hour? Evil, as you know, never sleeps. And crime in our city has never been absent either."

"That's alright, because I was hoping to talk to you again."- Theresa retorted. "I'm sorry for coming so late. I followed your advice, and even though it didn't do much, it gave me a new idea."

"Oh, I didn't give you advice."- Nerissa flipped her hair with distinguished amusement. "I was expected elsewhere this morning, hence I couldn't quite listen to you. Nor help your daughter and Cornelia move on, you see. Not after certain _things_ that happened."

"Actually, I think that you might."-Theresa declared, making the ex-keeper raise an eyebrow. "Her mother couldn't, but I believe you will succeed in persuading Cornelia to give Taranee a chance."

"I think you failed to understand me correctly, your Honor."- Nerissa whispered. "I never denied being capable of talking Cornelia into anything. I simply stated that I won't do it, especially when it comes to your daughter. She was against my friend, after all. Your daughter is an insufferable pain in the neck."

There was an awkward silence during which Nerissa just smiled. Her own smile, however, quickly quenched as she saw the other woman smile in response.

"Well, then it's interesting that you brought crime into the picture, Mrs. Crossnic. Everyone makes mistakes. Taranee did one by being quick to judge Cassidy, I can agree about that. But why are we all a part of one society if we can't forgive others, right? What I'm saying, is that everyone has a certain background which they would prefer to keep personal, but being a judge myself, I can afford to tell you this. I can easily take someone at gunpoint when they commit transgression against the law system, you see, Mrs. Crossnic. For that, if I were you, I would be careful what I say about the daughter of the most renowned judge in the entire city. Especially when weird things happen around your property."

Nerissa felt her blood boil and cool for seconds. For the first time tonight, she remained silent and just stared at the woman in front of her. Theresa just smiled dryly:

"Did I pull a nerve there? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you or anything. I'm not your enemy, and I wish you nothing but the best. I just thought that you should know that there are two complaints made against you in the police. Earlier this evening, they reached the prosecution as well. Didn't you know that? Someone must have informed you already, the first complaint is from two months ago. The second one is from the other day."

"I'm aware of all that, thank you."- Nerissa retorted icily. "What of it? These complaints are unfounded and no action can be taken on them. Because they are foolish and false."

"I'm sure they are, Mrs. Crossnic. Property frauds cannot be taken seriously when ghosts are involved."

"You actually read them?"- the ex-keeper exclaimed in outrage. "Abusing our position, aren't we, Theresa?"

Nerissa was shaking with anger. How dare this annoying woman interfere in her affairs. As if it was not enough that they had so many problems on Meridian, now she couldn't have peace even in Heatherfield. Unbelievable...

"Not at all, Nerissa."- Theresa assured her. "I can call you that, after you switched to little names, right? Now see, my husband's a well-known lawyer, as you might know. Your last buyers contacted him, because they wanted to sue you. Lionel often consults me as a competent figure. This was exactly what I had to tell him before he turned the case down. No court would consider a case where the plaintiffs complain about a haunted house. Even if the alleged defendant offers contracts that are suspiciously similar to many real estate _fraud patterns_."

"I can now see-"- Nerissa nodded spitefully. "-who Taranee took the vice of being fast to judge people from."

"I'm not judging you."- Theresa shook her head. "_Yet_. My intentions are absolutely positive. I'm no investigator to estimate whether you've committed a crime or not-"

"Then get one."- the ex-guardian hissed. "I dare you. Why didn't you get your husband to actually accept those fools, the buyers of my ancestral house? After they bargained with me for a month and I financed the repair, post the tenants who claimed to have almost _died_ in the house, for some _unknown_ reason. I gave a lot of money for that renovating to get the property ready for selling. And they were willing to pay a hefty price, sure, only they were constantly changing the actual amount which they were willing to give. Obviously, they had profits, but not as much as they pretended to, in the first place. Do I look like a fool to you? Because only a fool wouldn't put clauses with which to insure themselves in such a situation. They are the ones who tried to deceive me. The fact that they want to reside in a new place, every other couple of months, for free, is none of my concern, and I owe them nothing back. But anyway, my dear, what I want to say is that regardless of how many complaints they file against me, such wretches, as my last buyers, will always fail, because I am not breaking the law."- she finished with a catty victorious smirk. She was sure she had shut the nosy judge's mouth for good. But Theresa shocked her again:

"Nerissa, why are you wasting your time on explaining yourself to me?"- she asked. " I already told you, I was not judging you. You didn't have to tell me all this. I understand you. If you've managed to thwart the fraud of your buyers - great. If the fraud is directed by you, congratulations, your plan is perfect. Well, almost perfect. See, this is where your lack of in-depth knowledge of the law says its word. There are two complaints against you so far, yes, they are quite a riot. But if that number goes up. If appeals revolve around the same charges, state law mandates a sentence of service. In other words, even if the ghosts that allegedly haunt your property, can't testify to your buyers' advantage, the state will punish you on condition that those complaints continue to increase in number. Regardless if you are actually innocent or not."

Nerissa felt her face drop. She didn't even know why, when she could always flee Heatherfield and Earth, in general, if any of this happened. She wasn't to fear Earth laws, or any laws, after she had managed to fight off even Kandrakar on numerous occasions. Yet, this woman confronting her like that, made her angry and even uncomfortable. Mainly because she had gotten to the bottom of a seemingly perfect plan, and if she was able to do that now, she'd most certainly be able to sentence her in case of aggravation of the situation. Then again, it wouldn't matter, as the ex-guardian would be able to escape at any time, but it would severely clash with her ideas of a family life and life in her hometown, in the main.

Eventually, she lifted her eyes to the other woman, gathering all her sangfroid:

"Well then, I guess it is a good thing that I don't intend to put my property on the market again, is it not?"- she even smiled, because her own words were able to bring her comfort. "This way, no new false complaints will _ever_ be filled against me."

Theresa shrugged.

"I guess so. But still, it would be awful if any of that slander reached other people's ears. Not only will your image be tarnished, but perhaps the way your loved ones perceive you."

"You're crossing the line, judge Cook."- Nerissa hissed, but was quick to fall into utter incredulity, when the other woman got offensively near her, placing a hand on her shoulder and whispering right to her ear:

"I came to you as a _mother_, and I suggest that you take the hint. All I want is my daughter and Cornelia to remedy their friendship and I need your help for that. On the other hand, I have been involved with the law career for over 25 years, and I can recognize a fraud when I see it. While scammers rarely go to a lawyer, they often fall into long self-defense ramblings. I can sentence you, Mrs. Crossnic. If you do big things they print your face, and if you do little things they print only your _thumbs_. If you require proof, you'll have it. But if you would like for all of this to end, just do me that one favor. Convince Cornelia."

Nerissa pulled away and glared at her. Under the moonlight, and with these last words out of her mouth, Theresa looked vulnerable. Her eyes were wet. Well, she certainly didn't do this every day. But her dedication and love for her children meant something. And while the ex-guardian could bewitch her and do whatever she wanted with her (not really, as that would naturally result in more problems for her) she was for once, ready to declare herself in a stalemate.

_Insolent, but impressive, Theresa Cook, I must say. One can't tell who is more obnoxious anymore. The guardians or their mothers..._Nerissa tossed her hair back one more time, having made up her mind.

"Very well then, dear. May it be as you wish. I accept to do you this favor. Harmony is of specific importance."- she said a little sourly.

_For the guardians to be able to eliminate Phobos, that is._

"I agree. The girls are very close and we as adults should help them stay close. Their friendship is inspiring."- Theresa sighed wistfully. "Do you know how many years have passed already and they're all still so inseparable. That's not something we see every day."

"Yes, I agreed to help fix your daughter's mess, not listen to her life story."- Nerissa snorted.

_Besides, I know very well how long these wannabes have been calling themselves guardians. And even if they never best C.H.Y.K.N, they can be acceptable._

"And as an end, your Honor. I'll have you know that it wasn't your blackmailing that got me to take this decision. But your dedication and impetus, that do deserve the salutation. And the fact that my friend Cassidy, also wants to see Cornelia and Taranee on good terms once again."

Before they departed. Theresa took the time to finally smile freely and feel the metaphorical stone be lifted from her back.

"I've got to admit, Mrs. Crossnic. You're quite the mysterious bundle. So charismatic and clever too. I wish you a good night."

"Drive safe, Mrs. Cook. You never know what lurks and creeps in the dark. Trust me, I should know. After all, I did sell two poor scammers a haunted house."

"Seriously, where were you in the 80s? You would've given Elvira* a run for her money."- with that last line, a relieved Theresa walked away, heading for her car.

_On Thanos, most probably. Yet when you're there, you kind of stop counting the years, _Nerissa thought, absolutely oblivious to what the fire guardian's mother had been talking about, before walking back in the big house, finally ready to get some sleep and forget about her illegal affairs.

* * *

_Trivia:_  
_Elvira*- popular hostess of the 80s&90s hit TV show & movie "Elvira: Mistress of the Dark"_  
_Midgale*- a big city approximately near to Heahterfield, first featured in W.I.T.C.H issue 35_


	8. The Heart of Nimbus

_Chapter 8: The Heart of Nimbus_

"Shadows mutter, mist replies; darkness purrs as midnight sighs."  
\- Rusty Fischer

**_Heatherfield..._**

The Halloween carnival looked approximately the same as it had ten years ago. Ten years ago, when that ghastly prince had stolen her seal from her in front of everyone. Oh, the humiliation... The festive grounds hadn't been changed too much. It all looked the same. Heatherfield wasn't all that big on modernization, but it was kind of what made it special.

This year, however, everything was different. This year she was here with her son and that automatically erased all the trauma linked to the carnival and all the events that had taken place at it in the past.

"_Did I win a prize, maa?"_

_The white prize balls hit her painlessly, yet nerve-racking, as Caleb saved the Familliar from her spells. His smile was magnificent, even when militant, yet he had chosen to stand against her, so she had to get him out of the way. Up until her perfect Universe was achieved and he could join her at her throne, of course._

_"Baby needs a spanking!"- Nerissa growled and aimed forward, purposely blasting at the booth behind her son and the passling, instead of at him. She could never hurt him, of course, she just wanted to get him out of the way for his own good..._

"So. Should we try this again?"- Caleb spoke next to her as if having read her mind. Of course, he remembered their little 'bonding' moment from years ago too. Sometimes she could forget that he, not less than her, had suffered during all these years when he had been left. When they had been divided. Even if he had been hiding it well.

"Let me win a prize for my mom."

"I already have the prize which I wanted."- Nerissa smiled at him as she leaned on his arm. "That's you, my son."

"Still, mom. Come on, this place is way too emotional for both of us. Let's at least try to make it endurable, or we won't be able to spend the whole evening here and will just ruin Halloween for everyone else."

Nerissa smiled. Caleb had knocked down all the, stacked in a pyramid, bottles, with his first throw. She took the big prize teddy bear from the vender.

"Good."- Caleb grinned. His last-minute Indiana Jones costume wasn't anything special, but it did look damn good on him. "Now let's find the others. A few are the nights when we can all forget about Phobos and the angst his freedom creates."

_Very soon, Caleb. Very soon that angst will be a thing of the past. When I am once again able to protect you, your father and my grandson, Phobos will be history. I'll make him disgorge blood on his audacious threats towards you._

Nerissa looked at her watch. It was already almost 10 PM. When was Cornelia going to finally arrive? Surely it didn't take that surfer _ages_ to make her and Taranee move on, did it? Unbelievable.

"Caleb."- she began. "I don't have much time-"

"Okay, Maleficent, I see you."- Irma commented as she approached the mother and son duo in her Blossom from the ''Powerpuff girls'' costume. Will, who came behind her, had her hair spray-dyed in black for the night, getting under Buttercup's skin to the last detail. "That look you _definitely_ pull off perfectly, I'll give you that."

"Don't I always?"- the ex-guardian purred and tossed her straight hair to the back. "Besides, one must work with what nature gave them."- she added, sliding her manicured finger against her sizzling cheekbones.

Irma raised a sly meaningful brow but didn't get the chance to reply. Will had been quicker:

"You don't have time? For what, you don't plan on performing a Halloween skit for the school competition, do you?"

"I might as well. After my skit was ruined the last time."- the sorceress snorted at the detestable memory. "But, no, it is not that. I am simply expected elsewhere. I have to discuss several important manners with our architect on Meridian."

Caleb looked convinced. The Water guardian was also contended with what she had heard. Not that she had cared much, to begin with- they both walked away to greet a group of friends. Her replacement, on the other hand, took another minute to look at her in her interrogative way. She wasn't fooled this time. _Oh, brother,_ Nerissa thought with annoyance as the warm amber-brown eyes finally moved away from her. Her conviction was in doubt. The little guardian had become smarter, that couldn't be denied.

_But soon, that will not matter, Will. Even your distrust can't stop me from doing the only right thing to ensure my family's wellbeing. You will not be able to sabotage my plan on time._

* * *

"I _soo_ can't believe this."- Cornelia's bitter tone echoed in the car which speeded down the main road. "You're done messed up, Taranee. Of all the twisted, sneaky tricks...

"For the last time, Cornelia: I'm SORRY for what happened! But this- this wasn't an idea of mine."- Taranee fired back. "If you can't forgive me, please don't add more to the list of accusations. This time I've done nothing, I swear!"

Cornelia glared at her again, yet she couldn't find any distinctive signs of untruthfulness on the other woman's pallid face. Taranee wasn't a good liar, and she was usually sincere- just like she now was, to the blonde's distaste. She preferred to have her friend do stupid shit to her, that way she could continue being angry at her and it would be justified. After what she had said to her, almost two weeks ago, Cornelia was furious, but as always, with time, her anger was slowly fading away. Taranee's miserable appearance, the lack of any makeup on her face, the dark circles under her eyes, and the fact that after the incident she had done nothing but apologize, tolerating all of Cornelia's rude words and actions, did not help at all either.

But tonight's occurrence had awakened her vengeful side again. Cornelia had just gotten ready to attend the Halloween carnival next to Sheffield, decked in her fiery red devil costume, consisting of an exquisite red crop top sweater, a long airy red skirt, and a pair of high boots to match, when she had suddenly been dragged to a car by none other than Peter. In the car- Taranee was already waiting with a gloom look.

"Oh, sure you did nothing, Taranee. Nothing at all."- the Earth guardian said scornfully. "You just acted all depressed and sad until everyone felt sorry for you and stepped in to fix your mess! First, your mom went to talk to mine, now Peter! How old are you, 10?"

Taranee stared at her in astonishment. Obviously, she didn't know anything about that either. Elizabeth Landon Hale had briefly mentioned it to her daughter in the morning, but Cornelia had only gotten angry over it. Were their mothers insane? They hadn't even done that while they had been teenagers, what gave them the idea that they could interfere in their relations now? She hated how everyone had blown everything out of proportion and now she was shamefaced, even though she had done _nothing wrong_.

"Enough you two."- the man called from the driver's seat. He glanced at them in the rearview mirror. "I got you angry with each other, I'm the one who's gonna help you sort this all out."

How had he gotten himself in all this, Peter would never know. But he did feel partly responsible for everything that had happened, even though they had been the ones to hide things from him for over ten years. Things as important as being magical guardians with extraordinary powers and responsibilities. Yet he could understand why his sister and her friends had done it. Such a thing wasn't easily digestible. And when Nerissa, his girlfriend's old friend and also ex-guardian and future mother-in-law of Cornelia (bizarre list of jurisdictions), had come to talk to him about it, she had managed to get him to act. Peter sighed heavily. If only everything wasn't such a big, complicated mess:

_"Your mother loses sleep over this situation which occurred between your sister and Cornelia, Peter. And I think that you, as a man, should step in and put things into place. For everyone's sake."- _Nerissa had said upon showing up at the school gym_. "Theresa is worried sick, and so is Taranee, who makes mistake after mistake these days. It's a shame really, how she loses points in everyone's mark books due to her unchanneled emotions."_

_"But what am I to do? I mean, I'm not cool with their argument, but I don't see how I can convince Cornelia to forgive my sis's insult. As a matter of fact, I think that-"- _Peter wasn't a kinky man, to begin with, but he could not not appreciate the beauty of a female body when shoved up in his face, which was exactly what Nerissa had done. She was towering him with the lowest cut blouse he had ever seen someone wear as an everyday garment, while he lay, lifting weights_. "- that...Taranee kind of deserves it, you know? After what she said. -"- _he had finished as he had got over the distraction.

_"Oh, there's no doubt about it."- _Nerissa had waved her hand_. "But restoring their friendship is important due to the current circumstances. And there definitely is much that you can do, my dear surfer boy. You managed to stay friends with Cornelia even after your romantic relationship came to an end, right? Then you can surely influence her."_

_"Look, Riss. You and your son are cool and all, but I don't think that you know Cornelia that well. To deny her the opinion that she thinks is right is a very..."_

_"By all means, Peter, trust me that I know just how pestiferous her stubbornness can be. But I also know that she's a sucker for attention and understanding. I know that her opinion can be easily altered if done the right way. But enough about me. I gave you the hint. Your turn, sweetie."_

The young man returned back from his own flashback and stopped the car. No, he wasn't going to try to trick his ex into forgiving his sister. He was going to do things his way. They had made it to the outskirts of Heatherfield.

There was a grave silence in the car, but they would finally be able to talk. Peter turned back with one of his dazzling smiles and asked:

"So, who is going to suggest a name for my baby first?"

* * *

_**Meanwhile...**_

"Where the hell is the darned portal?!"- Phobos burst out, shaking the young woman by the shoulders. "You said that it was here, in the rebel leader's house! Why do I see absolutely no portal?! Answer me, you foolish girl!"

"It was here!"- she defended herself as she pushed his hands away and looked around the darkened basement with angry, indigo blue eyes. "It was in this underground room when the guardians passed us through, for the engagement. I heard them very well, saying that the Meridian portal was here, guarded by spells. I saw it with my eyes, it was here!"

"Well, it certainly isn't here _now!_"- Phobos raged. "I never should've trusted your judgment. I told you that the veil will only hinder our plans, but you had to lie to me, assuring that it will work to our advantage!"

"It will once it traps your sweet sister and Andan there...don't make me repeat myself. You never have patience for anything, this is why you f..."

"Don't you dare say that, you blond nonentity."- the prince hissed, shoving his long finger in the woman's face, getting dangerously close to her. "Don't you ever say that I've _failed_, or you'll know the worst of me! Now tell me why would the guardians close the portal to Meridian after they decided to keep it as a durable passage. Tell me!"

"They didn't close it...they must've moved it. She moved it!"- the sudden realization had the woman gasp in terror, but Phobos was just bewildered.

"What are you talking about?! Who moved the portal, Wilhelmina? She's too stupid to..."

"No, not her! That woman...The Mage."- the young woman narrowed her eyelids. "She must've moved it, because she suspected me. She suspected that Arzu has something to do with Cedric's escape."

"What?! I told you to be careful with the sorceress! I thought you knew all about her!"- Phobos's voice boomed. "It's a desperate cry to rely on you to show sensibility. From now on, you shall listen to me instead of doing such moronic things like lying to me about the darned Golden Spring!"

_This is all your fault_, the woman wanted to say. _You wanted that useless shapeshifter and hence Nerissa suspected me! I never should have underestimated her... If I do again, history will repeat itself and everything will have been pointless._

But instead of confronting the prince, the woman just snuggled in him. To Phobos's dismay, she just kissed him and then whispered in his ear:

"Forgive me, my love. But we might be in the middle of a trap. We must flee at once, but first, we should make sure that no spell or contraption will be able to denounce our coming here. The house is now empty, but everything in this space holds magical memory. We ought to erase our tracks!"

Phobos didn't lose time to argue. He just nodded before lifting his hand up. The wave of his dark magic blurred the whole room, destroying every little piece of manna around them. Nothing would be able to betray them anymore. He snorted in disgust as he saw a small widget fall from the ceiling- a camera, as far as he knew. This appliance was used to take photographs and was in Wilhelmina's style. But did the witch think it would be so easy to expose them?

He and his mistress teletransported instantly as if they had never set foot in the basement of the rebel leader.

* * *

Will groaned in frustration. It was almost midnight, and her fears could've already come true for all she knew. She had 20 more minutes to try to prevent what she thought was about to happen, but her mother had no intention to let her do that.

She and William, her little half-brother, had _glued_ themselves to the young redhead. Professor Collins was tightly behind them, here to oblige, while his son expressed his wishes to play every game and win a toy from each game as well.

"Will, it's Halloween. At least tonight you can spend some time with your brother."- Susan eyed her strictly. "And not huff and puff as if you're plowing a field!"

Will looked at her family with irritation. Their 'Adams' family costumes were a little over the top for her taste, but she knew that her mother always had to be extra on holidays.

"_If you had told me that you were coming to the carnival, I would've given you a more suitable costume."_\- Susan had said. _"You could've been a part of the Adams family as well."_

_"Gee, I guess Nerissa forgot to mention the need of me to match your costumes."_\- the redhead had snapped. "_That she forgot, of course, since she only cared to busy me-"_

_"What's your problem, Will?"_\- Susan wasn't happy with her reply. _" You act as if we've ruined your night by deciding to spend Halloween together, and I can't even see Matt around? Your friends are with their boyfriends and I think that you can be with us for once! Stop acting like a child!"_

_My problem is, that Nerissa deliberately did all this so that I couldn't go after her_, Will thought enraged. _As if I don't know that it's Halloween and what that means for Heart keepers, especially the indirect ones. Some things just never change..._

"Will, stop staring at nothing and come help me. I want to get the ring around the pin!"- Morticia-Susan broke her daughter off her thoughts.

Will made a face and took the little hoop from her mother's hands, aiming for the pin. She missed. These games were just impossible!

"Will throws like a grandma!"- William giggled.

"Son. Be nice."- his father warned.

"Yes, William."- Susan agreed. "Don't talk like that to your sister. Even if it's true."- she added satirically, making Will's jaw hang.

* * *

"So, basically you now know all about it... About everything... About the guardians, Kandrakar, Meridian..."- Caleb summarized, still astounded by the last events.

Not only had his girlfriend come to him with Taranee, having left all their arguments behind, but now this guy was here. Peter, smiling at him, explaining the situation to him, against the background of the noisy carnival.

"I'm still catching up on some things, but yeah, bro. Pretty much I now know it all."- he beamed. "And I _had_ to know, after all, Cass is having my baby. Meridian, that's where you from, right? You're from another planet, that explains how you bested me."- Peter winked at the bewildered rebel leader, winning himself a shove from his sister.

"I'm kiddin, bro. So, that being said, the girls are friends again and we're cool, right?"

"Yeah..."- Caleb nodded, still somewhat open-mouthed. "Cool."

"Great, bro."- Peter just smiled all the time, Caleb decided. His white teeth could blind people at certain lights. "Tell Riss that everything's under control, I'll tell my mom. Mothers. They just always stress out-"

"What?"- Caleb asked, perhaps a bit too harshly. "Why should I tell my mother any...she told you about Cornelia and Taranee fighting?"

"Well, I already knew, but she put me on the trail."- Peter explained. "Look bro, we've been living in the same town for so much time now, I hope that we can be friends. Especially now that I'm also willfully or not, a part of this whole enchanted world thing. So, can I count on you that whatever has been in the past we leave in the past and that we can be friends from now on?"

The rebel leader was finally able to smile in response:

"Fine by me, bud. As Matt likes to say, welcome abroad."

"We've got to hand it to Nerissa, this time she did a pretty decent job."- Taranee noted as she and Cornelia watched the two men shake their hands from afar. "And I probably owe her an apology as well. I thought that she'll screw me over the entire time, when in fact she actually really helped Peter a lot... I'll always be ashamed of myself for acting so irrational lately, Cornelia."

"Don't be."- Cornelia sighed with arms crossed on her chest. "At least for you, being irrational was a _new_ thing. With me, it's constant. I also have to apologize to Nerissa, after all the shit I said to her in my anger...I told her that she's a guest in the house and whatnot. But she still got my ex-boyfriend and boyfriend to be friends. Can you imagine?"

Taranee shook her head:

"We're just still not mature enough, I guess. We'll become better versions of ourselves with time."

"Don't be so generous on the apologies to Nerissa, you geese."- a familiar voice behind them intervened.

Taranee and Cornelia turned around in wonder, seeing Irma with a bag of candy in her hands and a sour expression on her face:

"Irma?"

"As happy as I am to see you two on good terms again, we have _new_ problems."- she snorted. "Because your precious Nerissa, did screw us all over. _Again_."

"What?!"- both guardians gasped in unison. "But why? What did she..."

"I just talked to Will."- Irma snapped. "Mrs. Power-Psycho purposely kept everyone busy in order to take advantage of Halloween's law-bending and steal a new mystic Heart. Which she did, no surprise there. We should all head to Mrs. Rudolph's old house now. We'll tip Hay on the go."

* * *

**_Galgheita Rudolph's house, 12:20 AM_**

"You shouldn't have done this, Nerissa!"- Will yelled in the older woman's smug face. "Don't you understand that by stealing a new heart you're just going backward whilst proving to be hell of untrustworthy?!"

"Yeah, besides, last time you deprived a realm of its power source, you almost had it destroyed!"- Taranee reminded. "Which poor world did you rob this time? Don't you ever think of the consequences of your actions before it's too late?"

Nerissa didn't seem impressed at all and Will knew why. Each time she claimed a new great power, her smugness, confidence, and insolence reached excess levels at the expense of her humanity and ability to reason. The process of corruption could begin any moment after such a power theft, and that was what utterly terrified the young redhead. The last thing which they needed was a crazed Nerissa as their enemy, now, when they had to deal with Phobos and all of his evil philistinism.

"She's a nutjob and that is that!"- Irma declared as she sat on one of Mrs. Rudolph's couches, comforting her anger with the candy she had brought back from trick or treating with the kids. "Therefore, explaining to her is like talking to the wall. I don't see the point of it, Will babe. Nerissa just has to ruin things all the time, especially Halloween, as it seems to be her favorite day to be chaotic! No holidays matter to her. What's next, Nerissa? You'll conjure a giant plague for Thanksgiving? Hunt the Oracle for Christmas?"

The ex-guardian tossed her head back, laughing at that last part. That only further annoyed Will. She glared at her again. Nerissa took her time to flaunt around Galgheita's old living room before she finally stopped and looked at them with haughty pride:

"If you're all quite finished, I'd like to finally say a word or two in my defense."- she began with a miffy smirk.

"I just don't know."- Cornelia, who hadn't spoken up until now, shook her head from the bottom of the room. "What should I tell Caleb _this_ time-"

"Don't you worry about that, Cornelia."- Nerissa interrupted her coldly, not a trace left from her glee. "I'll explain everything to my son. If I wanted a detailed, blown out of proportion tale, I'd ask you to deliver it. But frankly, I don't, so keep it to yourself. I've had just enough of your dramatic utterances during this past month, and I will not endure any of your attempts to play havoc with my relationship with Caleb. Not you, not any of you. I sincerely hope that I stand clear."

Cornelia lowered her head, even though she felt the anger scald her, she knew when she was demilitarized by her own words and actions. But nothing could stop Irma, who had already stood up:

"In case you haven't noticed, we've never tried to do that, we've only helped you, you hag! It's in your shitty nature to bring people apart!"

"Irma just calm down!"- Taranee urged her from the other end of the room. "We don't need this right now!"

"I can't! Where's Hay Lin! I'm going mad around here! And is all this woman's fault!"

"I'm done wasting my time on you."- Nerissa declared and started gathering her things. "I'm leaving and I suggest you do too. It is diabolical and dangerous to sit in the house of a recently deceased."

"Stop, Nerissa."- Will got in her way and sighed. She had to keep her cool in order to do this right. "First of all..."

"Mrs. Rudolph AIN'T DEAD!"- Irma yelled from the couch where Taranee, already onto Will's idea, was struggling to get the Latina to shut up. Cornelia just crossed her arms and isolated herself in the corner.

"...You said you'd defend yourself. And I would like to hear that."- Will went on, looking at the green eyes in front of herself. "Even though I was almost sure that you'll be doing something like this, especially after you spurred my mother to come after me and keep me busy, I still want to give you the chance to talk about it."

"See, Nerissa, we know that you did it with good intentions."- Taranee joined. "We just fear that you might've chosen a bad way again. I learned something over the last weeks, and except the apology which I obviously owe you, I learned to give people more time to justify themselves and their actions. You were right about that."

"And just like you've never stood between me and Caleb, I wouldn't think of standing between you and him either."- Cornelia said from the back. "Even if you're radical at times, I'm still sorry. For being a pain in the ass of a daughter-in-law. It's just what I can often be. It isn't cute, I know."

Nerissa examined them thoroughly and, in the end, rolled her eyes. They were still a bunch of good for nothing, little girls in a need of guidance when it came to matters like these. Will watched her, as she levitated above the old TV and crossed her legs in a prim manner.

"Fine. Let's say that you came to your senses. More or less. Getting to my point, we all have the same goal now, don't we, guardians. You're guardians and I'm Mage, we ought to eliminate Phobos once and for all because he is a major threat to the Universe."

The guardians could only nod hesitantly.

"Well, yes indeed, but after raising the veil and a few other magic-draining things which I had to do, _and_ after I lost the Heart of Aridia, keeping up with my responsibilities was no longer possible. Not in an effective manner, at least."- the ex-guardian continued. "To be able to protect Meridian, my son, grandson and Julian, I needed more power. To protect those who that disgusting pig openly threatened, I needed a new Heart. A stronger Heart. Which is why I planned this all along, ever since opening that portal in our basement-"

"Hold it."- Taranee interrupted her. "If the veil isolates Earth, and you didn't capture Elyon a second time, how did you manage to cross into another realm?"

"Are we sure that she didn't trick Elyon again?"- Irma interjected sarcastically. "Cuz that girl has been pretty stupid lately and I wouldn't be surprised."

But Nerissa's mysterious, smug smile that had returned on her red lips, spoke for itself.

"Folding inside a portal."- she said proudly. "I must say, I had never tried it before, but I decided it was worth the risk. And it did work, to my advantage. Because less than a week after losing the Heart of Aridia, I already had a clear idea of which realm would suit my new needs most perfectly. Namely, a planet far away from here knows as Nimbus-"

"Nimbus*..."- Will repeated thoughtfully. And then she suddenly knew why the name sounded so familiar. "Danny."- she murmured. "The Salamander who almost stole the Heart-"

"So, you've been to Nimbus?"- Nerissa looked slightly surprised for a moment. "Well, then you surely know of what gruesome pests magic salamanders can be."

"Oh, yeah, that's right."- Irma grunted. "Danny the dickhead who stole the Heart from Will was a salamander-"

"Anyways."- Nerissa continued her story. "Eons ago, due to the original sin of the locals, the skies of this dimension were cursed by the ever-burning storms, lightnings, and heavenly fires that would turn the life of the Nimbus folk into true _hell_ under the sky. The lifeblood of these bewitched storms was locked in the heart of Nimbus- an ancient mystical necklace that, as you already imagine, girls, is a powerful weapon in the hands of those who control the powers of the ancient nymph. Me, in this case. As lightning is one of Quintessence's wielding powers, this heart has made my magic many times more powerful than any previous one, even the power of my seal fades before the Nimbus energy that is now mine!"

"Well, we knew nothing of this realm's history."- Taranee murmured under her nose. "Then again, going there was just mandatory and for a short time-"

"Wait, what is going to happen to the salamanders if there are no more storms in the skies of Nimbus?"- Will demanded, remembering Danny once again. She had even found him cute all these years ago. Ugh. Her life story was depressing at times. "They feed off lightnings, without them they can't survive."

She noticed Nerissa purse her lips in annoyance, but give her a reply:

"If you're so concerned about these pests, then you should know that they can travel through the dimensions on their own. I'm certain that this Danny you speak of, and all of his kind, will find what to eat, they'll not face starvation, do not worry."

"But what was the Heart of Nimbus stored in?"- Cornelia asked, remembering how greedy the salamanders could be, going after each and every power source they saw. "And how did you find it, it can't have been out in the open, otherwise those filthy salamanders would've long gone after it."

"You're right, Cornelia. But that's the best part. The Heart was hidden there where the salamanders would never think to look for it. "- Nerissa stated contentedly. "On Halloween, universal laws and rules can be bypassed. It was time for me to have success after that failure from Halloween ten years ago. And I did because tonight the caretakers of the Nimbus heart had no other choice but to give it to me willingly. Ahh, it makes one love holidays like these, Irma."

"Willingly?"- Will repeated. "Does this mean that no one was harmed in the course of this claim?"

"Well."- the black-haired woman put on a catty smile. "If I had wanted to hurt someone, I wouldn't have waited until Halloween, don't you think, Will?"

Will kept silent. She and Taranee exchanged quick glances. One thing was for sure, and it was that whatever Nerissa had done in order to obtain this new great power couldn't be considered righteous. But it wasn't the time to judge or discuss that.

Irma, who had finally managed to calm down, powerless before the fact that Halloween was over, watched the ex-guardian take her phone out with a critical eye.

"Oh, now what, Nerissa. You'll post a Twitter update? #iJustSuccessfullyClaimedaNewHeart; #yayMe?"

But Nerissa remained deaf for her mockery. She scrolled through something on her phone's screen before growling with frustration.

"What is it?"- Taranee wanted to know.

"My success is not complete."- the ex-guardian admitted reluctantly. "I did so many things right tonight, yet that blasted enchantress cursed the hidden camera in the basement and her image remains unfamiliar."

"Whaat?!"

Witnessing the mass confusion that her words had provoked, Nerissa saw herself forced to give at least partial explanations:

"The culprit, the woman who is helping Phobos. She was on Meridian on the day of the engagement. She was posing as that Coronian maid, I was almost sure of it when I saw her reaction upon hearing that there is evidence. She dropped the tray to the floor and then, when the evidence magically disappeared from Raythor's pockets, I was even more convinced than before. Arzu is, in fact, the blonde who released Cedric and caused all the muddles on Meridian...The one who has been helping Phobos from day one of his escape, if not even earlier!"

"Why didn't you say any of this stuff earlier?!"- Irma demanded. "If you knew that Arzu is a fake, you should've told us and..."

"The situation required a little more planning than that, guardian."- Nerissa replied up in arms.

"No, she's right. Elyon and the Meridian royal court would've only been further defamed if a drama of this sort took place in Magana's presence. After all that had already happened. "- Will said. "Without secure evidence, such an accusation would've been too much."

"Well, yes..."- Nerissa tossed her hair to the back. "That and the fact that I wanted to use the enchantress to get to Phobos. At the moment when I pulled her scarf down, I secretly took a hair from her head. I needed but a few days to make a deglamouring potion and I was right- the red hair turned blonde."

"So, the enchantress had changed her appearance to be able to follow her plan on Meridian."- Taranee pondered out loud. "She has even fooled Queen Magana and the Coronian royals so that she could join their carefully chosen entourage. We were her ticket to Meridian!"

"That's how she was able to free the prisoners and Cedric while distracting us at the same time, in spite of the veil."- Cornelia gasped. "But who is she? Why is she siding with Phobos?"

"That is what I wanted to uncover."- Nerissa shook her head grimly. "But this bitch is sharper than I expected. I foresaw her coming to use my portal again, that was why I moved it. I hid the portal in this house."- she answered to Will's raised eyebrows. "Galgheita's old house which I provided for her back in the day when I helped her, Alborn and Miriadel escape to Earth with their precious princess. But anyways... I even foresaw that the enchantress will come back on Halloween, when she knows that my protection spells around the house are weaker-"

"She has been to our house. That...that wacko who helps Phobos!"- Cornelia clenched her fists. "I swear, had she done something to my son..."

"Don't even say that."- Nerissa cut her off. "I wittingly sent Julian and Killian to the Infinite City this afternoon. The house was completely empty, but unfortunately, the enchantress fled before I could return from Nimbus and confront her. She has some prudence; I'll give her that. Regardless, now that I am strong as _I merit_ to be, she will not be able to hide from me for much longer."

"Maybe that won't be needed."- Will said after a long musing. "You said that there was a hidden camera in Caleb and Cornelia's basement, didn't you? Let's go and give it a look."

* * *

"I can't believe that Phobos dared to come to my house and I wasn't here to slice his throat!"- Caleb raged half an hour later as he looked around the now-empty basement. "I loathe that man. He'll pay for all his sins."

The Hale/Crossnic house was full, despite the late hour. Upstairs in the living room, Martin was working on the broken camera, surrounded by the guardians. Julian and his grandson had returned from Meridian and even Cassidy had shown up.

Caleb was still in the basement, glowering at the place where Phobos had stood hours ago. Peter, who was constantly by his side, ever since the carnival, turned on the lights:

"Take it easy, Caleb."- he began reassuringly. "Giving way to your anger or negative in emotions in general will never solve your problems. Trust me, it's my personal experience."

The brown-haired man looked at the other guy a little bit annoyed, yet he was quick to sigh. Peter was right. Even if, as opposed to him, Taranee's brother was a tad too calm and restful, he was actually a decent guy.

"I know, Peter. But you haven't met Phobos. You don't know him like I do. When that bastard is in question, _nothing_ but negative emotions can be provoked."

"I have put up new, sustainable magical defenses around the entire house as well as around Galgheita's house. No outsider will be able to set foot in without my approval."- Nerissa announced as she came back in the living room upstairs.

"Good job, Rissy."- Cassidy patted her back reassuringly. "And now that next Halloween is a year away, you won't have to worry as much."

"I wish, Cassidy."- the other woman sighed grimly and approached the group in the living room. She had disrobed her costume completely by now, leaving just a plain black knee-length dress over her remarkable body.

"Why is this taking so long?"- she looked at the young man with glasses, disapprovingly.

"Ok, babe, first of all, only I spur my boyfriend."-Irma declared. "Besides, your camera is totally trashed, what do you expect?"

"Forget the camera, it appears that nothing in the basement saw Phobos or his enchantress."- Cornelia huffed. "How is that possible? I thought that our possessions had the ability to carry magical memories for a short amount of time... Memories of what has happened around them. This is why people's personal belongings are of great importance to dozens of spells..."

"Not if Phobos and that enchantress have blocked that said ability with dark magic, which they obviously have."- Nerissa emphasized. "They're clearly not as scatterbrained as I thought."

"That became clear the first time their schemes started working out."- Will said. She was also losing patience. Martin had to at least partially fix the camera for her to be able to use her powers and talk to it, as crazy as that sounded. She had her own special abilities as wielder of Quintessence, but unfortunately, she couldn't use them in this case just yet.

"After Queen's obtuse deed, you mean."- the ex-guardian didn't miss to add spitefully.

Nobody rushed to Elyon's aid this time, to Nerissa's quick-lived joy. And how could they, after all, that was happening was her fault. Of all the immature, delusional mistakes... She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around to meet Julian's eyes. His comforting touch was the only thing that could dispel her dark thoughts at a time like this. Although her great disappointment had taken the upper hand in the next moment when she heard:

"I'm sorry, but the damage on this little guy is irreparable."- Martin put his tools down and looked at Irma apologetically. "It's not so much because of the fall, but this...this internal frequency that seems to crash the boards every time I make some progress. It's like nothing I've seen before!"

"Dark magic."- Will whispered and closed her eyes in defeat.

"It's alright, boo."- Irma assured her boyfriend. "You did all you could, but you can't fight dark magic and that is that."

"Actually, truth is, you did pretty poorly."- Nerissa interjected spitefully. "But given that it wasn't necessarily to the best of your ability, I suppose it is fine."

Martin visibly sunk in his seat, while his girlfriend rose from the couch with a glower:

"Oh, no you don't, Mrs. Power-mad. Don't you dare take it all out on Martin, he tried his best to help!"

"Irma."- Taranee tried to reason with her, but her words fell on deaf ears.

"And he _failed_."- Nerissa noted with arms crossed on her chest. "What does that call for? A pat on the back or the actual truth?"

"Nerissa..."

But Julian's words also didn't seem to reach and stop the feud. Having had it with the sorceress, Irma lashed out uncontrollably:

"Oh, no you're so unfair!"

"Truth is not always fair, water guardian. The sooner you learn that, the better."

"If Hay Lin was here, she'd support me, because she saw this coming! She said that you were going crazy again and she wasn't wrong!"

"And what is _that_ supposed to mean?"

The tension in the room could be cut through with a knife at that moment. Cassidy put her hand over Peter's chest as she watched the quarrel with fret:

"It means that you've done it again, Nerissa, you chose power over rational thinking."- Irma snapped. "The others might not have the balls to tell this to your face, but I sure as hell do! If you hadn't chosen to take advantage of Nimbus tonight, maybe Phobos would've been in the Tower of Mists by now! You screwed up, babe, and you wanna know why? Because even after everything that happened, you _still _cherish power more than anything else. Don't give me that look, admit it to yourself, I'm not asking you to admit it in front of everyone. Be honest with _yourself_. I'm done with here. C'mon Martin."

Irma finished her blunt, accusing speech, by grabbing her boyfriend's hand and pulling him towards the door, leaving the setting in awkward silence.

And as she felt everyone's doubt-filled eyes on herself, yet again, Nerissa fought to swallow the insult. But it wasn't that easy. The only thing she could see was a pair of eyes. A pair of green eyes, identical to hers, that was looking at her, keyed up.

* * *

_Trivia: Nimbus*- a world from the original W.I.T.C.H. book "The Heart of the Salamander". This one, I believe, was published in the USA too. (2005-2006 something like that)_

**_A/N: Sooo, originally, this chapter was going to be up for Halloween, but we're taking things in a slower pace with this story, and the main events will not match with the actual dates/months the chapters will be published on, haha. Do share your opinions with me. See u next time :)_**


	9. The Flaxen Cuckoo

_Chapter 9: The Flaxen Cuckoo _

_"_Cosmic, heavenly whiteness, of veiled distance,  
from early childhood, you attracted my eyes,  
you infected my blood, which restlessly spurts  
drawing me to eternal quests and wonder.  
Whenever soft breezes flailed green cornfields,  
whenever a bird's wing sliced the blue heaven,  
a caravan of clouds, grainy and forlorn,  
or a sail on the sea's horizon –"  
\- E. Bagryana

* * *

Pink and warm, the very first rays of the sun shined over the Coronian Palace the "Aureate Edifice". Guards and staff made their ways through the endless, opulent corridors and halls. Everyone was in a hurry to settle everything needed for the Queen's morning. Everyone was in a hurry to meet the needs and desires of the little prince who, did not like to wake up early, and today required it, which meant that it would take quite some effort. Young Dua was to have his regular fencing practice, despite his young age. His grandmother, Queen Magana, believed that it was what was best for his future.

This morning she had woken up long before her maids and servants came in her chambers to serve her breakfast.

Magana sat on the crimson cushion chair in front of the majestic vanity, combing her long hazel-colored locks down. The exquisite dress she was already wearing, though an everyday one, exuded true sophistication, femininity, and that, of royal descent. Gold and jewels worthy of a Queen adorned her neck, but her tired eyes seemed to ebb softly. And one couldn't blame her inner surrender- after all that life had put her through...

Even the early sacrificial wisdom of the precious Golden Spring had failed to prevent the misery and sorrow for her and her family...

"Thousands of excuses, your Grace. I am sorry to interrupt your morning rituals, but the royal court of Meridian has sent a very... tense and _disturbing_ message about a situation that they claim requires our immediate intervention."

Upon hearing these words from her loyal courtier, Magana abruptly turned around to look at him. This man she had known her entire life, he had been like a second father to her. When he looked this tense, matters _had_ to be serious.

"A message from Meridian you say, Visser? Do tell."

The face of the elderly sophisticated man became hesitant for a moment but the moment he began to speak, that faded:

"My Queen, the Mage of Meridian and the guardians of Kandrakar write that our maid, Arzu, the poor soul who has been serving in the royal court for many years now, is not the one who she claims to be. They name her a nefarious enchantress of some sort, a woman who is in union with their tyrannical ex-monarch...Queen Elyon's brother, that is, Phobos of Meridian. I was certainly not inclined to accept these accusations without evidence, more serious than an appearance retrieval potion, which they claim to have used on a hair from Arzu's head, but for good or for worse, no one here can actually find Arzu today. It is as if she has evaporated..."

Magana felt her heart grow heavy like a stone and rise into her throat. She knew. Such odd things tended to happen Coronia ever since...ever since the tragedy. Or rather the _second_ tragedy. But Arzu? She had always been a loyal subject; hence this story deeply saddened the Queen. For something told her that, the _real_ Arzu, was no longer amid the living.

"Oh, saints. That is terrible, Visser. Let me send my sincere apologies to Queen Elyon and her people."- Magana said. "And you continue the search for Arzu. Send soldiers to look for her around the kingdom. This mustn't happen again; you know of what huge importance it is for us to keep positive relations with Metamoor as an all."

"Yes, my Queen."- Visser bowed down and was to leave the royal chambers. He couldn't bear to utter his personal opinion on the union with Meridian in front of Magana. A realm that had even _more_ domestic political problems than them. That was a site they didn't get the chance to lay eyes on every day.

"And Visser?"- the woman stopped the old man at the door.

"Yes, your Majesty?"

"You know better than anyone that this piece of news, that has arrived from Meridian, must remain confidential."- she said carefully. "I don't want to trouble or scare the people again."

"Yes, your Majesty."- the man repeated and this time he successfully exited, leaving the Queen alone in her chambers.

Once left by herself, Magana stopped hiding her pain. She relaxed her face on the surface of the vanity and quietly began to sob. She hadn't asked for this. She had never imagined that this would be happening to her. She had always loved her folk, her kingdom, and her vocation of being a queen, but now- as she exceeded her days on the throne, and the threat loomed lower and lower above all that she loved, her love was what was thwarting her.

The sudden sinister cuckoo song that reached her ears from outside, made her forget about her sadness and self-pity, filling her with fear. Magana stood up abruptly and looked at the open doors of her balcony in dismay. There it was, on the guardrail, her biggest nightmare. _The flaxen cuckoo._

"No..."- Magana shook her head as she made her way to the hanging balcony with shaking legs.

The bird seemed to be waiting for her. Firmly landed on the shining railing, it didn't even blink when the woman stood within inches of it. Hazel orbs met indigo ones and then, under the soft rays of the morning sun, the metamorphosis occurred.

Magana watched in horror as the cuckoo's body turned into that of a slender young woman. She took a step back and her dolor was back too:

"A long while it has been, hasn't it?"

Magana could only shake her head and fight the stinging tears back:

"H-how...how did you turn back, you w-were..."

"Don't worry, mommy."- the woman sang softly, as she flipped her honey-colored hair to the left side. "Your curse is yet to be lifted. I'm still prevented... from being in my place, but soon, I will be where I belong. And I will have what I deserve. In spite of you doing your utmost against me."

"I did what was necessary, you were a danger to yourself and those around you!"- Magana cried. "You had taken a very dark and wrong path, _daughter._ And now you do it again! You're responsible for the problems at Meridian, aren't you, Leonida?! Why are you doing this..."

"Why am I doing this?!"- Leondia repeated as she got dangerously close to the Queen. "You and daddy took everything from me, mommy!"- she stated venomously. "You ruined my life dozens of times, and every time I was able to build something new from the pitiful remains of my happiness, you were there to push it down again!"

Magana shook her head and swallowed painfully:

"You're crazy, Leonida, you've always been crazy."- she declared. "At least leave your brother be happy, after all that you've already done..."

"Don't even speak to me about my _brother_'s happiness after you sacrificed mine, over and over again!"

The honey-haired woman raged and raised her hand. But the moment she attempted to touch her mother, her entire arm turned into a wing. Leonida took a step back and glared at the older woman as she kept trying to regain the human appearance of her limb. The power of the curse was still in effect. But soon... She would soon see to it, just as she had already achieved so much:

"The spell... it still works."- Magana observed in shock. "But then how have you managed to come to Meridian with us, without us recognizing you-"

"You've never understood the terms of magic, mother."- Leonida snapped bitterly. "The least you could've done was seek the details of your deed before you had me cursed."

"I'm sorry, Leonida. "- Magana retorted as coldly as her oppression and inner mother affection allowed her to. "But I haven't exactly thought that one day I'd be required to curse my own daughter!"

"Required, right."- Leonida sneered and looked at her mother in revenge. "You said I was crazy? Yet look at yourself- you're a coward and a cheat, and you will pay for everything you've done. You tore me away from my child, now I will tear you away from everything you love, mother!"

"You can't hurt us."- Magana declared, a tad more surely, now that she had witnessed the protecting curse in action. "Each time you come near us, you'll turn into a cuckoo, Leonida. This is the fate you have, worthy of your evil!"

Leonida let out a little giggle which made Magana tremble in dismay.

"My dear mommy, to your misfortune, there are so many other ways to hurt you... You'll soon find out what I'm talking about. Brace yourself, Magana. Soon you will feel my pangs and then we will once again talk about the many incarnations of pain and suffering."

Then the honey-haired woman was the flaxen cuckoo again. Magana watched her fly and disappear in the skies with trembling hands resting on the guardrail. A single polysemantic tear rolled down her cheek- her love was to be her defeat yet again.

* * *

**_Kandrakar, the Middle of Infinity…_**

"The Cosmos of Abeyance? You're moving her there? Does that mean that Galgheita is getting better?"

Elyon's voice was hopeful. Himerish thought on her words and smiled down at her in his magnetic manner:

"Not quite, your Majesty. I've already told you; you're to be Galgheita's true remedy. Only you will be able to wake her up when the right time comes. Her moving to the Cosmos of Abeyance is merely because the Algid Tower has already done all it can for her."- he said warmly. "The healing realm will now take her in its favorable environment. The Council would like to preserve her for as long as it takes for your Majesty to heal her completely."

Elyon looked down despondently as she heard that. She had been hoping for another reply, yet she had expected this.

"What if I'm not capable enough to heal her."- she murmured disheartened. "What if Galgheita stays like that forever, b-because of me..."

"Well, then that would be just unfortunate for you"- a familiar voice interjected. "I suggest you don't include anything about your nanny's coma in the wedding vows. It will ruin the ambiance if you know what I mean."

The Hall of Congregation was filled with the familiar tumultuous whispers, upon the appearance of the newcomer, and Elyon only frowned. She didn't expect anything from Nerissa, but at least she could stop herself from _gloating_ about Galgheita's fate... But what did she want from a woman who could in no way be described as a traditional philanthropist?

"Time will tell, Elyon, but I have great faith in you. You will manage to do the right thing. And welcome to you, Mage."- Himerish smiled at Nerissa who stared back at him. "I sensed that you shall grace Kandrakar with your presence today."

Nerissa stirred in her long pearly white mantle, following every curve of her body to perfection.

"There's no inappropriate hour in the fortress of timelessness, is there?"- she sneered. "In any case, I'm here to take her royal incompetence back to Meridian. Prince Andan has expressed desire to spend time alone with his fiancée."- in spite of the hostile tone and overwhelming reluctance felt in Nerissa's voice, Elyon failed to conceal her enthusiasm after what she had heard:

"What? Andan is in Meridian?"

Nerissa pursed her lips and moved her eyes from the Oracle to the young monarch:

"Whether he has already made it there or not, I suggest that you hurry up. You're not attractive enough to make your one and only groom candidate wait."

Elyon gritted her teeth but said nothing. She looked over at Himerish for his consent to leave:

"A thing before I let you go, your Majesty."- he said as if having read her mind. "How is Prince Andan to travel through the veil? As far as I'm concerned, the Heart of Kandrakar is amid the few amulets that can close and open portals in the veil without a helping tool like a mystic map, as it is, and as the guardians are currently away..."

"Yes, where are they? I couldn't find them anywhere."- Nerissa interrupted the seer coldly. The part she hated most about being Mage had to be reporting to this man. "Now that the Council has unblocked my amulets from traveling to Kandrakar, I've found new ways to adapt to the veil's conditions."- she continued." Folding inside portals for example. This way I could send Caleb and Blunk to Coronia to fulfill the Prince's request."

The Oracle looked at her in thought for a few seconds before smiling again:

"You've always been ahead of your time, Nerissa. You may take Queen Elyon to Meridian now."

The ex-guardian nodded coldly and swung the skirts of her robe, prompting Elyon to follow her.

As the two of them vanished in a violet portal leading to Meridian, a new portal opened, also violet- out of which stepped the guardians. The passage behind them closed, yet the purple which was a permanent part of Kandrakar's ambiance during every raised veil, remained present.

"Greetings, guardians."- Himerish greeted the five young women with an affable smile. "Did you succeed in your mission to Nimbus?"

"Nah, it was a setup."- Irma announced bluntly and crossed her arms on her chest as Taranee glared at her.

"But you've found answers to many of your concerns?"- the seer suggested amicably.

"I'm not sure whether we've succeeded, Oracle, but Nerissa sure did."- Will took the word. "Hands down, she didn't lie when she said that the caretakers have given the Heart to her willingly. Mr. and Mrs. Cuddlefleece*... the nice family that helped us in our original mission on Nimbus years ago, have been holding the heart all along..."

"A family that lost their only offspring, as they expressed themselves, to the storms on Nimbus."- Cornelia interjected. "They told us that they've been meaning to free themselves of the great burden that the Heart of Nimbus is. Protecting it and guarding it from the salamanders wasn't what they wanted to do for a living, but they did want to protect the innocent. Which was why they stuck with us in thick and thin back when we had trouble because of the salamanders. It makes perfect sense."

"It kind of explains why they called us little "lambs" all the time."- Hay Lin added sadly. "They've been suffering the loss of their babies all their lives, plus having to bear that great responsibility... It's time for them to have a little happiness. With the departure of the Heart of Nimbus, storms have worn off, and the salamanders have scattered throughout the Universe. Nimbus is again this peaceful, beautiful place it used to be centuries ago. Before it was cursed."

"Yeah, salamanders may present a small problem spread throughout the entire Universe, but they are not that numerous and won't lead to catastrophic consequences."- Taranee pushed her glasses back. " Just as they've lived before Nimbus was conquered by the storms and attracted by the lightnings, so will it be now. This is _the least_ of our problems ..."

"Mr. Cuddlefleece agreed to give Nerissa the heart, not only because he didn't have a choice, but because he didn't want another parent to have to lose their childlike he and his wife lost their offspring. And those are his words. Apparently Nerissa told him about the entire Phobos threatening Caleb thing."- Will sighed and looked at the Oracle for the final part of their report. "And yes, it is clear that as a wielder of Quintessence, the power of this Heart works in perfect harmony with Nerissa's energy and magic. There really is no better guardian for it than her. But such great power has certain strict requirements, Oracle. This is where we request your opinion. Nerissa is currently handling this power and will continue to handle it, subjecting it to her will for good. But if something happens, if Nerissa loses even a little part of that balance which she currently has, the power can corrupt her again. Just because she has bounced back once does not mean that it cannot happen again. Mr. Cuddlefleece said that..."

"She never fully bounced back, if you ask me."- Irma interrupted her. "She's still drawn to power like flies are drawn to sh..."

"Nobody was asking you, Irma."- Cornelia cut her off sharply, glaring at her. "We're asking the Oracle for _advice_. Regardless, the decision has already been made. After discussing it with Caleb, he and I decided that Nerissa should keep the Heart of Nimbus, at least as long as Phob..."

"Yeah, bravo Corny! Too bad you and Caleb are not authorized to decide on the entire Universe's fate."- Irma didn't remain obliged. "We don't need more problems as it is, and Nerissa and power always equals..."

"Calm down, guardians."- Himerish silenced their dispute before Will and Taranee.

All five of them exchanged glances as they watched him turn around with his hands behind the back:

"Listening to you, I conclude that you have already extracted all the important aspects of the urgent situation. I have nothing to add, for I will not oppose the decision made. As for my advice, which is mandatory"- and he smiled at Cornelia, who felt her cheeks flush with color. "Nerissa did promise me that she will obtain new power after she willingly let go of the Heart of Aridia. I can appreciate her honesty and the necessity of her abilities for the war with Phobos and his mysterious allies. Nerissa controls power as few others can. She is an adept opponent and an even more valuable partner because she is incredibly talented with magic and mystical issues. What you all have to do, however, to ensure that this great power of hers will not corrupt her as it has in the past, is to take care of the harmony and the world she has built up for herself to date. Make sure that they remain as they are. She must feel the support and love, which are the only means more powerful than the darkness which she brings within herself.  
Guardians, if we accept that Nerissa is one of our most powerful allies, we must admit that she is on our side mainly and only thanks to the love which she carries for a few souls that stand with the good. From now on, it will be your job to ensure that this love, and the tranquility and security which it creates for her, remain unchanged."

The guardians were silent but determined. There was no room for hesitation. After a long minute, Irma's voice finally broke the heavy silence:

"Oh, great. Now we're Nerissa's personal maids."

"No, Irma. Not maids, but sovereigns."- Himerish smiled at the feisty Latina. "Just like every empire needs its sovereigns to function without errors, every ex-guardian needs a set of young active guardians to be adequate enough to continue to protect the Universe, even when not under Kandrakar anymore. You can understand, right?"

"We understand, Oracle."- Cornelia and Will said in unison, as the rest of their friends nodded firmly. "We won't fail our task."

* * *

_**Meanwhile...**_

"You've failed your task again, haven't you, my squeeze."- Phobos reposed lazily on a long lounge in the Hidden Mansion. He was shirtless and barefoot, enjoying the warm Coronian weather. Near him lay a bowl of peeled peaches, which he lazily brought to his mouth whenever he felt like it.

Leonida almost glared at him. He couldn't fail anything, after all, he wasn't _doing_ anything to begin with. She just made her way past him, without uttering a word. Phobos obviously didn't like that, because he grabbed a hold of her hand a tad too roughly and pulled her closer to himself:

"Did you not hear me ask you something? That look on your pretty little face ensouls me no courage. Did you manage to sow the seeds of fear and strife in the queen's mind or not."

"I managed."- the honey-haired woman snapped and pulled away.

"And you're absolutely convinced that this will not result in Magana going to my sister and the other wretches to reveal your true identity?"

"Yes, that I am. I know my mother and her ways of thinking. She'd never risk Andan's chances of tying the knot with Elyon, because otherwise, Coronia will fall in ruins without a proper Queen."

Phobos laughed evilly and rubbed his chin:

"My little sister is hardly any proper Queen, but I get the idea. Oh, I can't wait to crush their wedding-"

"Fine, now leave me to rest for a little while. I don't feel well."

Leonida tried to flee to her room, but the prince didn't let her go that easily. He sat and positioned her on his lap, turning to her with unimaginable for him, sudden tenderness:

"Why is that, my squeeze? Did that little encounter with your mother give your pretty blonde head second thoughts?"

"No, of course."- Leonida snapped again and bit her tongue. She suddenly rationalized the big trouble and drawback this sharper demeanor of hers could bring, but she couldn't go against herself right now. She really needed to collect new strengths. "The damn curse exhaust me. The necklace you made me only temporarily suppresses its impact, and today I didn't even take it with me... I wanted the old wretch to see me as a cuckoo. In the form she cursed me to take, each time I come near my flesh and blood, six years ago now".

Phobos studied the beautiful face in front of him and let his hand slide against her cheeks:

"When I take over the Crown of Light, I'll easily lift that curse, my squeeze, I've already promised you. I just need you to listen to me in order for our plans to have success."

Leonida nodded and smiled softly:

"We'll have what we deserve, Phobos. Reign, happiness and love. I believe in that."

Phobos smiled wryly and reached for her lips. As she pulled away, however, his eyes shone almost incredulously:

"I told you that I need some rest."- she whispered. "I'll take a nap."

"I understand that the shape-changing curse tires you, my dear, yet you know that in order for us to..."

"I know. And trust me. It will happen."- Leonida cupped his face before standing up from his lap. "Very soon."

With that, the blonde enchantress left his side and headed for her bedroom. Phobos stared with an odd expression on his face, lost in his thoughts, long after the woman had left, up until a familiar voice broke him off of his inner debate:

"You've never had anyone refuse you, my Liege. Had this been some other woman from the former harem back on Meridian, you'd have punished her for pushing you away like that."- Phobos watched Lord Cedric walking down the staircase, approaching him with hands in the pockets of his casual Coronian garments.

"Don't taunt me, Cedric."- the Prince folded his arms. "You know full well why the situation is different now."

"I'm not taunting you, my Prince."- Cedric declared. "I'm just expressing my observations and thoughts."

"Nobody has asked you to do so."- Phobos sulked. "Don't make me scourge you again."

Cedric looked at him with a very odd spark in his eyes before he gathered the courage to sit beside him. Phobos looked over at the man next to him with raised eyebrows.

"To be honest, Sire. I'm concerned."- the shapeshifter said in a low voice. "I'm not convinced that this girl is truly devoted to you as she claims."- he whispered right in Phobos's ear.

"What are you talking about, Cedric?"- he spat and glowered at him. "She's crazy about me. Like every other woman I've touched with a tender hand."

The Lord didn't reply at once. He just met his master's eyes and licked his lips somewhat thoughtfully:

"You must be right, Sire. But remember those women from the harem who tried to make a fool out of you by..."

"Silence!"- Phobos ordered roughly and stood up, glaring at a distressed-looking Cedric. "Don't you ever dare bring that up again, Cedric."- he stuck his finger in the other man's face: "I forbid you."

* * *

_**Meridian...**_

"Ahh, young love."- these words coming out of Frost the Hunter's mouth almost sounded like a burlesque.

Raythor couldn't help roll his eyes at that statement. It was time for the brute's walks which the other man took him to, every now and then. It was a part of a long and complicated program that aimed to redeem Frost and make him a valuable and trustworthy addition to Raythor's knights. It was hard and almost desperate, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Now that the situation was dire, the Royal Captain could actually use some more rough force to help keep Meridian safe from Phobos's attacks.

"Don't be distracted, Frost. Count your steps."- Raythor chided him and pulled his chains in an attempt to make the large hunter walk away from the royal gardens.

They both knew that was where Queen Elyon's meeting with the Prince of Coronia was currently taking place. Raythor certainly didn't want to disturb them, but apparently the prisoner had other plans.

"Come on, Raythor. Can't we just see them? I'm curious."- he insisted and stretched his neck to get a better view. It didn't do him much help- from their distance and due to the hedges, the two young monarchs remained out of sight. "Besides, how much more will you keep these loathsome chains tied around my limbs?"- he growled. "What 'em I gonna do, run for freedom? Had I wanted to do that, I wasn't gonna be losing time with this idiotic endeavor you've devoted yourself to."

"Don't make my hackles rise and keep going!"- the Captain demanded with a stern expression on his face. "Don't try my patience or you're going straight back to your cell."

"Aeh, fine you ol' tike."- Frost growled and reluctantly kept walking forward. "I'm still curious though. What is this union going to be like? The Princess's... I mean the Queen's marriage? And who's the woman who freed Lord Cedric-"

_All of these are worthy questions_, Raythor thought. _Yet they still have no answers, which is what is disturbing...But regardless, these awaited answers are still none of your concern, you savage._

"And I'm not the only curious one, as it seems."- by the time Frost whistled, she had already turned around to face them with annoyance due to being caught. Caught spying on the _Whelp_, which was even more degrading.

"Would you look at that, Mage."- Frost's voice boomed. "I once considered you nothing but an old fossil, yet nowadays you're more of a never-dying ember."

Nerissa hid her long legs with the long white mantle that she had, for a moment, almost stripped down, much rather annoyed than embarrassed, and turned to the captain angrily:

"What is this foolish _ogre_ doing out of his cell, Raythor?"

"I'm starting to ask myself the same."- Raythor muttered under his breath and roughly pulled Frost's restrains.

"Hey! Why can't I be here?"- Frost protested. "If I'm to become a loyal warrior of the Queen, I deserve to get fresh air every now and then."

"But what were you doing, anyway?"- Raythor stopped his eyes on the sorceress. "I thought that you've transported her Majesty here almost an hour ago. You were spying on her and the prince, weren't you!?"- and while this revelation outraged Raythor, it seemed to visibly entertain the other man.

"Blimey, I wonder why would that be?"

Nerissa folded her arms on her chest and snorted with contempt:

"It's but a waste of time, anyway. I was aiming to overhear a particular thing that we all depend on, yet that boy seems even more oblivious than her Majesty."

"What do you mean?"- Raythor asked with narrowed eyelids.

Nerissa moved her disapproving eyes to the hunter's apish expression and the captain immediately knew what she wanted to do.

"My men that are responsible for him are currently in the guards' dining room."- he said. "I told them that I could handle Frost's walk on my own and hence they're in for a quick meal."

"Perfect."- Nerissa gave a lukewarm smile before swinging her hand.

Before Frost could realize what she was doing, and protest, he had been teletrasnported back with his superintendents.

"Very well, now that he's gone, tell me. What did you wish to hear? And for God's sake, give her Majesty and her choice some privacy!"- the ex-guardian rolled her eyes and allowed the captain to lock her arm under his and lead her in the opposite direction. "How would you feel if someone was to watch you and your husband during your intimate moments?"

Cheered by his words, the woman tossed her long hair back and chuckled softly:

"That's an interesting thought you have there, Raythor. Have you been picturing it from quite some time now?"- seeming him abashed enough, she left the ridicule aside and went straight to business: "The Coronians have not yet riposted with any news regarding that posing maid they brought here, I take it?"

"They did."- Raythor objected. "Despite the fact that we sent them that urgent message this morning, Queen Magana's advisers wrote us back. But their answer was expected and won't please you, Nerissa. "- Nerissa raised her brows in anticipation, even though she could already tell by the look on Rayhtor's face. "Of course, she fled. The "maid". No one can find her on Coronia. The enchantress is no neophyte, as we all saw, she wouldn't let herself be captured that easily."

"_Of course_."- Nerissa hissed.

The November sun was slowly, but surely setting beyond the horizons of the plains under the palace and the mountains in the distance. The Mage turned to the pensive man on her left:

"There's just this one thing which keeps me restless, Raythor, and that is the fact that Coronian people are supposed to be all-wise and cogent by default due to that Golden water they all quaff as infants-"

"I believe it's more like a drop. At least that's what the amah explained to the queen."- the man rubbed his chin winning himself a green-eyed glare. "Do go on."

"The enchantress is obviously not only a Coronian, but also a person close to the royal family, wouldn't you agree? Otherwise, how would she be able to fool all these 'wise' people with but a simple glamour spell."

"Well, you were able to."- Raythor pointed out. "For 17 years, everyone was convinced that you are the ancient Mage..."

"Yes, but the enchantress is not me."- Nerissa snapped. "Over and above that, the situation is slightly different with these people in question. While most of my enemies were nowhere near wise, the Coronians are supposed to be able to almost see through glamours. Especially their Queen... It's just ridiculous for her to be considered outwitted by such a plain trick. You do not know the properties of the Golden Spring... How do you think Coronia has managed to preserve all its treasures and riches throughout the centuries? Its golden water makes those who drink from it wiser and much more insightful than most of Kandrakar's sages put together. A mere glamour cannot..."

"Wait a darn minute, Nerissa."- the former knight of vengeance stopped the ex-guardian. "I'm not a magic wielder or expert, but even I know that these spells- these glamour spells, can be strong...come on, weren't you able to fool the Oracle himself with just that kind of magic-"

"Oh, Raythor, you aren't even trying!"- she hissed in his face. "I was able, yes, I! But I'm myself, with many years of incredible efforts and experiences behind me, and she's just a stupid blonde-"

"Good God, some ego you have. After all these years you keep thinking that no one can match you."- by now Raythor was also annoyed. "But you know nothing about the enchantress, Nerissa...She's in cahoots with that tyrant Phobos. She outsmarts the wise Coronians. She has been outsmarting all of us since day one. You included. What if she _is_ a match for you? What if she is _worse_?"

With eyes sparkling with anger and anxiety, the woman approached him so much, that for a moment he thought that she would do something else. But she just spoke on inches from his own lips. Her warm breath with a soft scent of mint and strawberry spread all over his face:

"If she is. If she truly is such an unprecedented genius, then you might as well consider Meridian _doomed_. Then I'll overstep the word which I gave to my son, because I will be forced to keep up with new priorities! I'll have to save him and leave all the people behind. Yes, it will afflict all of us deeply, but as I already said. _Priorities_. A dark and tragic scenario, isn't it? If that is the fate which you'd rather have, keep rooting for the enchantress."

"Rooting for the enchantress? By the Light of Meridian, how can you even consider that to be what I was doing-"- the captain exclaimed, but the damage had already been done. Nerissa had stormed away in a huff and he had to run after her to catch her before she teletransported.

"Where's your equanimity again?! You're the ultimate mastermind and prime-mover, why let your frame of mind be contorted by rampant emotions and doubts?"- and as he held her by the wrists, he shook her in a sobering manner. "For God's sake woman, you have done unimaginable things. You have achieved so much in spite of everything! How are you going to allow this anonymous enchantress to snatch Meridian from under your wing?! Now that's a risible thought! Nerissa, may your body be young, not your mind and common sense..."

"Do not presume to test my emotional and intellectual capacity!"- Nerissa bawled and broke free of his grip. "Besides, I never said that she will beat me. I was merely answering your _risible_ question with the worst possibility you were looking for!"- she ran her fingers through some of her long locks and then stuck out as to give herself more pomposity. "I will see this manner through before you manage to say 'royal wedding' out loud, captain. We can't have some things postponed, now can we. Because once that boring event passes, it will be time for my son's wedding. And I have big plans for that. "

Watching her regain her confidence and perky attitude, Raythor couldn't help but smile. Emotions provoked by more than just her stunning beauty would forever bind him to the ex-guardian. They had history, and even if she'd never acknowledge it, he cared for her in a sort of friendly, often tempted, yet at times even brotherly way. He shook his head. How twisted and demeaned they could all sound after all that had happened throughout the years... Or maybe she _did_ acknowledge it and that was why she teased him all the time, Raythor could never know with that woman.

"That's more like it."

"Oh, please. I felt what you did there, twisting on your own words to give them another meaning, _mate_."- Nerissa gifted him a smug smile. "After all, I'm the ultimate mastermind, aren't I."

How she liked the sound of that sobriquet. Even more than all the carnal compliments, she so often received from his eyes traveling over her curves, just like so many other male gazes did. Yes, Nerissa was vain, often too much, and her feminine ego longed for such admirations. But the praises for her brain and capabilities were even more valuable.

"That's true."- Raythor grinned. "But then again, I would've never lowballed you, if I hadn't known it could eventually give you even more confidence."

* * *

_**Heatherfield, Taranee&Nigel's apartment, 6:30 PM**_

Nigel Ashcroft walked into his apartment and set his suitcases on the floor. He took a minute to check his phone and inform everyone that he had successfully gotten off his plane and made it to his apartment, via Messenger.

Well 'everyone' for him, mainly consisted of his closest family members and a few friends. He didn't want to intrude himself on anyone, but he knew they'd want to know that he's back in Heatherfield. Especially his brother Danny and his mother, who he'd most likely see within a few days at the earliest.

It was after he put his phone back in the pocket of his ripped jeans that the auburn-haired young man noticed the fine smell of Italian food in the air. His favorite. With a slightly confused look, Nigel made his way to the living/dining room area:

"Taranee?"- he exclaimed as if almost surprised to see his girlfriend in the apartment.

"Hi, Nigel. I'm so happy to see you back."- Taranee smiled and approached her boyfriend, shooting her arms around his neck. "How was your flight? Your week? I've missed you."

"It was all fine, Taranee, but gee. What has gotten into you."- Nigel kissed her back and studied her.

The Fire guardian was dressed in a short red cotton dress and thigh-high socks, with garters visible below the line of the skirt. And even though they had been a couple for ten years now, there was still a trace of red flush on her cheeks as he did that:

"If I look too extra, I would like to shift the blame to Cornelia, she said..."

"No, it was not a condemnatory look, but a dazed one."- Nigel laughed. "You look amazing, Taranee. And I'm happy to see this sweet side of you again."

The young guardian smiled as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"I was hiding behind my own jim-jams lately, wasn't I? I'm sorry, Nigel."- she admitted. " For being a terrible girlfriend. For treating you poorly ever since I willingly revealed my biggest secret** to you. I never should've judged your totally understandable curiosity and concern. I don't know how you even managed to endure me and not dump me for good...I almost made my biggest fear come true with my own actions. I almost lost you..."

A set of warm eyes looked into hers and the man gently lifted her chin up.

"Hey, that will never happen, OK? I love you too much to ever lose you, especially over such a trivial thing, Taranee. You've been saving the Universe for over a decade. The least I can do is support you in good and bad!"

Taranee felt her own eyes glisten with happy tears. She was so lucky to have all these wonderful people around her. People who cared about her as much as she cared for them, that she promised herself to never again forget. Never again forget that judging in the heat of the moment, not even letting the others defend themselves, is wrong. Never again let fear and its dark servants rule her whole being and cloud her rational thinking. Always listen to what people have to say and never make hasty assumptions and conclusions. All of these were little life lessons that she had known, yet forgotten for a short while, up until now.

Supper would obviously wait; her boyfriend was already too busy kissing her thirstily while sliding his palms all over her body. Even their intimate relations had suffered in the last months because of her damned worries, so this was now promising to be an unforgettable experience.

Taranee could feel the man's smile through the kiss, as he lifted her up and had her wrap her legs around his waist.

"Nigel?!"-she gasped. "The kitchen table?! But our room is right the..."

"Trust me, Taranee, we'll be very careful."-Nigel grinned from ear to ear as he skillfully caught a wine glass before it could hit the floor. "It's going to be so sweet, it'll turn to your favorite spot."

* * *

_Trivia:  
__Mr. Cuddlefleece*- a ram-like creature, native inhabitant of Nimbus & 'magical helper' who helps the girls retrieve the Heart of Kandrakar in the book "The Heart of the Salamander"  
__** around chapter 30 of the prequel "Heart of a Mother" Taranee reveals her guardian identity in front of Nigel and grows resentful of his curiosity._


	10. A Storm is Brewing

_Chapter 10: A Storm is Brewing _

**"He in his madness prays for storms, and dreams that storms will bring him peace."  
**_\- Mikhail Lermontov_

* * *

_**Heatherfield, 9 AM**_

"Elyon's wedding is to be held on the 16th? But that's next month! What's the big rush anyway."- Irma commented loudly as she and her friends got in Cornelia's car.

It was a chilly Tuesday afternoon and they were going baby shopping in Reedrose- Midgale's biggest shopping center. Cornelia was going to be driving, as she rarely allowed anyone to touch her car anyway, with Irma on the front seat next to her, while Will, Hay Lin and Taranee were situated on the large back seat, holding Killian in his baby basket. Why did they have to go on such long-distance travel for such a short period of time, was beyond the Heart keeper, yet she chose to keep it to herself. Cornelia was pretty excited for this one-day trip and given that it was generally the first time they were all going out together after the disputes that had taken place in their group, her friends had decided to please her by coming along.

_Harmony before everything_, Hay Lin smiled as she rocked Killian's basket on her knees.

"What did you expect, Irma, the engagement was last month."- she pointed out. "I just hope that Elyon will let me help her with her dress because the time is limited and-"

"Yes, but weren't they supposed to, oh I don't know! Get to know each other before that? Elyon and Andan, I mean. I thought they were supposed to date before making the step to marriage, _especially_ given the circumstances aro-"

"That was never the case. - Cornelia interrupted her as she drove off. "Their marriage has to happen on a short notice, what I told Elyon was that she should meanwhile date him and get to know him, in order to turn their political marriage into a love one. Even after they wed, they'll have enough time to do all that. What is good, is that Elyon is actually already liking Andan a lot, I spoke to her-"- Cornelia deliberately made a pause and smirked mysteriously. Her friends watched her in anticipation.

"And?"- Taranee urged her.

"Spit it out, Corny! What did the Prince say to her the other day? He insisted on meeting her, didn't he? Did they make out?"

"Irma!"- Taranee scolded her, but Cornelia only smiled even wider:

"Yes."- she announced to the others' shock. "Andan kissed her in the gardens. And it was passionate."

"I knew it."- Irma folded her arms smugly. "I knew that 'Desperate in Meridian' won't miss a good chance."

The blonde shot her a rebuking glance but didn't snap back. She knew that Irma was sincerely happy for her best friend, as were the other girls. It had been a while since they had heard such a story from Elyon. Actually, the last time she had been falling for someone, had been over ten years ago when they had all trashed her date, mistaking the boy for a beast of Phobos. The now women were all exchanging small words of warmth for the Queen, as the car slowly made its way to the end of the city; it was only the redhead who remained silent and thoughtful. Cornelia noticed that in the rearview mirror and turned her attention to the other woman:

"Wi..."

" Following the news of the posing maid, they have deliberately scheduled the wedding earlier."- Will said more to herself than to anyone else. "Of course, it all makes sense. That's why Andan went to see Elyon so very suddenly on the same day that we informed Magana about that Arzu."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"- Cornelia demanded, her voice cold and hostile all of a sudden.

Will sighed. Cornelia herself had been suspicious towards this marriage, but now that Elyon was accepting it better, she was, of course, oblivious to her previous position. As if she had never even voiced out her thoughts on the Coronians. She often did that lately, like an underground lithospheric plate that moves, forgetting all about the earthquakes it has previously caused. But before Will could reply, Hay Lin was already talking on her behalf:

"Will's right, Cornelia, it's normal for Andan and his mom to want to speed things up. She meant that they might fear that this freaky situation may ruin the engagement if they don't hurry up. Phobos is kind of an extremely unpleasant factor when it comes to weddings, I'm sure that the Coronians are already aware."

"Yes."- Cornelia snorted. "I'm sure_ that_ was what Will meant."

"Shut up and watch the road, Corny."- Irma cut her off. "What's with that Midgale shopping spree, anyway? Can't you buy baby stuff from the mall like everyone else? We have to check-in at the hotel and..."

"I just spoke to the manager before we took off."- Taranee interjected from behind. "Our rooms will be ready in one hour, long before we make it there. One of us can go to check-in and the others can just head to the shopping center."

"I volunteer."- Will said, wanting to escape the possible conflict arising between herself and the young mother.

Cornelia managed to raise her chin up, even as she was driving. But she obviously considered Will's retreat a victory. The other girls got involved in a silly conversation about their better halves, but their leader sighed again. Matt was traveling, so she didn't quite have a story to be a part of her friends' conversation with, plus she had other things on her mind. Some time alone would also give her the opportunity to think over the situation once more. There was something fishy going on in Coronia and she knew it. Nerissa knew it. The Heart knew it. Even Cornelia knew it, even if she had chosen to ignore it, for Elyon's 'sake''. But she and Nerissa, on the other hand...

Maybe because the two of them were both somehow connected to the mystic object, both keepers and wielders of Xin Jing's power.

Will took her phone out of her bag with an unhappy face. She couldn't believe that she was about to try teaming up with the ex-guardian who she had had no trust for, whatsoever, up until very soon. Not that Nerissa's actions regarding the Heart of Nimbus deserved much trust, no, she was definitely always going to be a cheater. But at least she hadn't hurt anyone on her way to it...No, she had never _exactly_ hurt Heart keepers, she had mostly tricked them into giving her their free will and powers all the time, yet this time, Mr. Cuddlefleece had indeed given her the Heart willingly. So, did that count as an improvement? The young redhead knew that a compromise was to be made. She and Nerissa had to work together, otherwise, the current situation with Phobos was only going to be prolonged and worsened.

* * *

_**The Hidden Mansion, 12 PM**_

"Forgive me, Leonida."- Phobos uttered in indifference. "But we're running out of time and I had to do what I had to do."

The young blonde growled barely heard as she stood up from the king-sized bed, holding the remains of her shred robe. She had to go for a shower. Lying with this prince every night had been tolerable up until he had started to overshoot. Leonida frowned slightly as she watched the man get dressed in his pretentious garments.

"We're not running out of time. I know what I'm doing and I know my body."- she snapped before making it to the door. "I already told you. Being gentler for a change, certainly wouldn't do you bad either."

"I was just _underwriting_ our plan once more."- Phobos sneered. "You know that we can't allow any mistakes or unpredicted circumstances to stand between me and what is rightfully mine-"

"Ours."- Leonida interrupted him. "What is rightfully _ours_."

With a little smile playing on his lips, he approached her and gently reached for her face. Oh yes, he could be quite the charmer, but she knew his true nature. He was the one in for a surprise with her... The young princess submissively allowed him to run his fingers through her hair and hold her face in his hands, as their eyes met. His gaze was so cold, yet magnetizing. She responded with a playful glance throwing sparks which she knew would work out.

"You know what, my squeeze. Before meeting you, I've never considered making any woman my Queen."- he admitted. "But you are not like the rest. There's something in you. After everything you did for me, if you only succeed to make me this last big favor as well, everything that I will have will indeed be yours too. I promise you."

Leonida smiled widely, locking her fingers with his.

"And I promise you. All will happen as we want it to."

* * *

**_Meridian, earlier that same morning_**

The early morning sun bathed Meridian in thousands of golden hues. Two young men of different kinds and races, but best of friends, were out on their morning workout.

Drake saw himself out of breath and unable to catch up with his galhot friend and co-rebel. Aldarn was as fast as a flash of lightning lately. He was even if the blond man dared say, faster than Caleb himself. And that was an achievement to be admired.

Training surely had helped his agility. Drake shook his head when Aldarn turned around and flashed him a challenging gesture.

"That's it, I'm through with this!"- Drake announced after straining himself to the limit, in one last, desperate attempt to catch up with his friend.

It was of no use. Aldarn still sped off, what appeared to be a good 20 meters in front of him, while the other man chose to stop by a rock to lean against and catch his breath.

The dusty gravel area they were running through, was perhaps not the best choice for such an activity, because of the large dust clouds that emerged from the ground whenever they ran more hell-bent. And in Aldarn's case, that was all the time. For Drake, who was behind him since the crack of dawn, it was especially unpleasant. He coughed to clear his lungs from the last dust curtain Aldarn had wrapped him in. For real, what had gotten into him? Once, he was slow and gawky, and now he was running like a tiger.

Drake smirked. It must be that new woman in his life, he wants to impress...

"Drake!"- his friend's voice came from behind one rural wooden building. Years ago, it had been where one of the entrances to the Infinite City had been hidden. "Drake you have got to see this..."

"Nice try, Al."- Drake snorted back. "I told you, I'm through with running! I'm already drenched in sweat and humiliation, I don't care who you tell about this."

"Drake, it's not that!"- Aldarn insisted, his voice growing higher. "Come here at once!"

Drake frowned in perplexity but did head for where his friend was calling from. What could he possibly want to show him there? When he got there, the first thing he noticed was Aldarn's face- lost all its color which was supposed to be there after the heated running. What was the matter with him?! Then, Drake's fair eyes fell on the reason for his friend's distress and he barely contained his gasp. Thankful that he hadn't eaten breakfast yet, he strained to look back at the other man, but in vain. The appalling sight had caught his attention in the ominous, iron grip of shock.

"Drake..."- Aldarn finally said. "Isn't this- "

"Yeah, I think so."- Drake confirmed. He didn't need to hear him out first. They could both tell who the poor creature, murdered in a cruel manner, was.

"Come on, Aldarn."- the ex-rebel murmured, finally moving his eyes from the deformed corpse. "We have to report this to the Palace."

* * *

**_Coronia, noon time_**

"You really think that this will work?"- Caleb asked firmly, as he looked at the plains bellow from his hill.

The sun was shining. Coronia looked so very constantly welcoming and beautiful with its clear skies, enchantingly green meadows and blue waters. Too bad it was only a facade.

"I'm sure of it, Caleb."- his mother responded with a glance focused on the palace in the distance. "This ream hasn't seen dark clouds in hundreds of years. But do not let yourself be fooled by that, even the brilliance of the sun can be deceiving. Just because there is no actual darkness, does not mean that darkness can't lure its way around. Darkness can't be without light, just like the light can't exist without the darkness. Тhe rain, which I will now conjure, shall serve as the _perfect diversion_. When the Coronians gather outside in distress, dumbfounded by the odd weather changes, we'll storm the ''Aureate Edifice''."

Caleb gave what he had just heard a hard thought.

"Mother, are you certain that this is right."- he asked in the end. "I mean, we have no reason to doubt Magana and her words. Why would she hide information about the enchant..."

"Oh, but we do."- Nerissa interrupted him and smiled. She then placed her hand on the young man's strong shoulder. "If Magana was all so sincere and open like a book to us, why did she send her son to Meridian and urged the wedding to be held on an earlier date? Almost a month earlier, to be exact? Caleb, take this as a mission of inquiring, like the ones which you went on during Phobos's reign. All this is, after all, for Meridian's good. We have to know everything about our associates before stepping in such a serious union with them. Besides, we have to inform them of the _tragedy_."

The rebel leader still looked discontent. She was right about that. Even he couldn't deny that the ''tragedy'' appeared to be somewhat too _convenient_ for some...

"Mom, you were among the first people who wanted this union to happen. If our actions now cause some sort of halt, then..."

"No, I wasn't!"- Nerissa argued hastily. "Ok, maybe I was, but not before Miriadel, Alborn and Galgheita started everything! Besides, I'm now Mage again, thanks to you, my dear boy. I am responsible for the people of Meridian because of that and my word to you. I promised you that I'll keep Meridian safe, and as if to obstruct me, that little wretch had her brother freed! Queen Elyon who you so venerate and respect, my son, is an absolute fool. She doesn't deserve you; she doesn't deserve to be Queen, to begin with-"

"Mom."- Caleb softly stopped her rant by taking her hands in his and bringing them to the level of his face. "You don't have to start with this all over again. I already know your motives. I'm here, aren't I? I came with you to Coronia. Naturally, I'm on your side, and I will do as you say. I just want to make sure that you are certain about this plan before we step into action."

Nerissa looked into his beautiful, clever green eyes, identical to hers, and saw his affection and loyalty. She smiled and framed his face with her hands:

"I am certain, Caleb. My instincts tell me that there is something to be revealed about the royal family and their past, something that might endanger _our_ people. And as you know, my instincts are rarely wrong...But this time not only I feel like that. Our little redheaded friend and her mystical Heart share my opinion."

"Will?"- Caleb asked almost incredulously. "I thought that she, Cornelia, and the girls are off to Midgale-"

"We had a quick chat over the phone."- his mother declared. "And we planned this. I already knew that the perfect time to come here would be now when Cornelia is away and unable to talk you out of it, but when Will called, I was convinced. These things are no coincidence, Caleb. When two guardians of the Heart, as different from each other as me and her, unite around one premonition, then there is certainly a reason worth the efforts."

Caleb finally gave a firm nod and the last trace of hesitation left his face. His strong, handsome features tensed, this time, ready for action. He stepped back with hands behind the back, as his mother raised her arms up, pointing at the sky. With the Heart of Nimbus, she subjected the rain to her will very easily. A single flash in the sky was enough to unleash an entire storm. The suddenly arrived black clouds, spread in an unnatural circle, as if drawn into a great whirlpool.

"Now. Let us blend in and make our way."- Nerissa smirked and waved her wrist, starting the glamouring rings around both herself and her son. "The storm alone will not be enough for the quest to come."

* * *

"A storm?!"- Magana stared at her most loyal advisor as if he had just stated that water boils at 0 degrees. "How is that possible?"- she cried and ran to the balconies of her chambers. Visser wasn't kidding. She could hear the thunders- the skies were dark. So _unsightly_ dark.

"Your Majesty."- Visser began with concern. "This occurrence is so peculiar; it has the people in shock. They are scared. The Coronians have never seen such a storm in... well, never! This is so very unnatural for our climate, lay and nature...Everyone has gathered at the Square of Yellow Glory. Your words of reassurance are needed to comfort your people."

"My words of reassurance..."-the beautiful queen gulped and shook her head. "How can I comfort my people, when we know nothing about this uncanny natural disaster...Oh, Leonida, what have you done..."

"Pardon, what was that, your Majesty?"

Magana blenched. She had said it so faintly, of course, the old man hadn't heard, yet she cursed herself. She had to be more careful. Too much innocence was at stake for her guise to fall into this category too.

"I said make sure that Dua is safe in his room with but at least four guards and one of his nannies. Give them the Order of Coronia as well. Then find my son and send him to the Square. That is where I'll be, I'll tend to my people's needs."

"The Order..."- Visser looked a little dumbfounded, but he didn't argue. He couldn't quite understand as to why one of the strongest magical weapons in the entire kingdom was required for the few minutes during which young Dua was to be apart from his grandmother, but then again, she was Queen. And she was extremely over-protective of the child. After what had happened six years ago though, who could blame her... "I'll send the majority of the soldiers to accompany you to the Square, your Majesty. Better take one of your sun umbrellas...It will hardly help in this terrible rain, but it should be better than nothing."- the old man bowed one last time before leaving the royal chambers.

Queen Magana took but a minute to catch her breath. Her heart was suddenly like lead. She had this sinking feeling, telling her that the cause of this irrational storm was more than she could afford to reveal to her people.

* * *

"What is the meaning of this?"- Phobos raged. "I thought that your planet was supposed to be the ultimate sun resort, my squeeze? This sudden rain is tampering with my rest, how am I expected to regain forces and powers lost during ten grisly years in jail with such foul weather?!"

Leonida didn't answer right away. She looked more than confused as she lifted the skirts of her dress and walked out of the protection of the shed under which they were located. The cold water soaked her in seconds. It almost scared her. She had only experienced rain once in her life, as a child, and it had been but a light shower, conjured by her mother and father to help the harvest of their realm. Rain didn't just fall like that in Coronia, let alone a storm of such magnitude, a natural occurrence she had only read about in books. Leonida's worried frown was just taking over her beautiful matte face when the Prince of Meridian pulled her back under the shed:

"Foolish girl, don't just stand there! Have you never seen rain, you look ridiculous! You'll only catch yourself a cold and that's not welcome given our current..."

"This storm is something no one around here has ever seen, my Liege."- a familiar voice interfered. "It's a phenomenon."

Phobos and Leonida watched a drenched Cedric approach the Hidden Mansion. He had removed the turban from his head and hence his loose blond hair was wetter than ever.

"He's right."- Leondia told the scoffing Phobos, who used his magic to dry her up. "This rain is striking for anyone born and raised on Coronia. It's _uncanny_."

"Oh, I see. Is that what you've been doing whilst dawdling around this annoyingly perfect realm, Lord Cedric? Learning more about the planet."

"Excuse me, my Prince, but there really is not much that we are doing as for the moment. Which is why I decided to take some walks every now and then. Your Highness granted me permission to..."

"Don't bore me, Cedric."- Phobos cut him off and gave one last cold glance to both him and the blonde woman. "We're about to do quite a lot. Soon. Soon everything shall fall in its place, have patience and don't test mine. Both of you should find your inner humility and start listening to _me_."

"My Liege, please. If I could interest you with my revelation that I'm about to make."- Cedric was quick to say, as if insulted to even be compared to Leonida.

"A revelation?"- Phobos stopped in his place. "What kind of revelation?"

Cedric smiled wryly.

"As I was taking my walk, my Prince, I happened to pass by the main Square. The Square of what was it-"

"Yellow Glory."- Leonida called, winning herself a frown from the Lord.

"- yes, as important that actual name can be. Anyhow, I was saying that everyone, the villagers, the wealthier and more important people, all gathered there. Even the Queen herself approached with a large number of men behind herself. That square must be some sort of point for emergency-related meetings-"

"Something like that."- Leonida agreed, not impressed by the man's annoyance. She had interrupted him for the second time. What did his Prince see in this pathetic bimbo was beyond him, but then again, he knew that Phobos always had his good reasons.

"When do we get to the revelation?"- the Prince asked snidely.

"As I said, everyone gathered at the Square of Yellow Glory. Everyone but this odd pair- an elderly lady and a man with a big dark beard. They didn't notice me, because I was standing behind the crowd, but from my position I could openly see them head for the Palace. I found that notably odd, hence I followed them. Not long after though, I stumbled, bumped into a garbage can of some sort. That gammer locked in place. She turned back abruptly and unleashed a_ spell right in my way._ The only reason I was able to avoid it, was because I had already changed shape, and hid in that street dumpster..."

"That's unusual, magic users don't just roam the streets around here"- Leonida interrupted him for the third time. "Who could this wo..."

"If you had let me finish."- Cedric raged. "Maybe you would've understood better, _Princess Leonida_."- he added icily. "After the old woman did what she did, she spent a minute in looking around. There was definitely something strange in her; a minute more or less, and she would've found me. But then that bearded man assured her that I must've been a rat and they went on, still headed for the Palace. He called her mom. And even through that glamour, I could instantly recognize that voice, the voice of a b_astard child_ who has found his so-called mother after years, calling for her with such despair and the insane fear of her denying him again-"

"The sorceress!"- Phobos and Leonida gasped in unison.

"And the rebel leader...But of course, she made this storm. She's using her old tricks. But why is she here, secretly from your mother?"- Phobos raged. "Now that she's officially Mage, I don't see as to why she'd need to lure in the shadows as someone else, as she did before!"

Leonida frowned. She had already promised herself to never underestimate the so-called Nerissa, for whom she had heard quite a lot through the years. No, she wasn't going to give her that kind of precedence in her _own_ kingdom for sure.

"I don't know, my King, but if she is headed for the Palace in Magana's absence, she must have a good reason."- the blonde said. "I will see to that problem at once."

"What?!"- Phobos frowned darkly. "What are you trying to achieve, exactly, foolish Leonida? Break our cover and inform the abominable mother of the rebellion that I can be found here in the damn realm you call your own? And will you betray your identity as well? Can you think at all, girl-"

"I will do no such thing!"- Leonida assured him. "Trust me, I know what I'm to do. Our plans will not be distorted. I know just how to handle the intruder without giving out any information to her."

"Then I'll also come."- Phobos declared all of a sudden. "Maybe if I glamour myself as one of her allies I can _kill her_ once and for all-"

"No, my Liege, you mustn't go!"- Cedric exclaimed. "She is the one who might kill you if she notices you! Besides, the guardians are not with her-"

"You dare underestimate me, Cedric?"

"No, all I'm saying is that for now, it is essential that you remained incognito, Prince Phobos. Nerissa has been able to sense you before. If our people behind the veil can be trusted, she has recently acquired a new power as well. A new Heart. You shouldn't risk yourself, let the girl do what she does best! If she knows what she's doing, she will protect you and the master plan."

Phobos went silent. He had another thing to say, but it repulsed him. No, he wasn't going to defame himself with such petty showings of concern or care! What did it matter anyway? Cedric had a right. They had Leonida to do things for him as long as he needed to collect his own powers.

For a long second, there was nothing but the hard falling rain to be heard around them.

"Your Lord is right."- the princess said in the end, breaking the unusual silence. "I'll be back soon. I'll take care of Nerissa without even going _near_ her."

* * *

Caleb exited yet another room, already discouraged. The ''Aureate Edifice'' was enormous and even though it was practically empty, that didn't quite help them find anything. Not that he knew what they were looking for, of course. Not even his mother knew. Apparently neither did Will. Perhaps storming the Royal Palace was going to turn out to be not only too dangerous but also too pointless.

He took the broad staircase down. He knew that his mother was still there, for some reason, currently going through the dungeons of the Palace. He, himself, had been on the ground floor, going through some royal records regarding the castle staff. Arzu hadn't lied about anything, or at least her story matched that of the real Arzu. According to the records that he had found, she had been a maid in the Coronian Palace for many years, ever since she had been only ten years old, left with no living family or relatives. They had all ended dead after a gruesome fire in their village. She had now, of course, vanished without a trace, only to end up _dead_, as the enchantress had taken over her image and persona. Arzu was no more, and it was pointless to look into it twice.

Caleb frowned as he finally saw his mother in one narrow, but well-lit corridor. In the form of a short, old woman, he hardly recognized her. At first, he had thought that she is some left-behind woman from the castle staff.

"Mom, what are you looking at?"- he asked as he approached her and followed her gaze.

Nerissa stood before the big, golden door, inlaid with thousands of gemstones forming a magnificent image. Image of an enchanting and beautiful looking spring, which she was staring at with an odd spark in her eye. Her glamoured form's eyes- green as were her own were the only thing which he could recognize her by when in this appearance. Caleb rested his hand on her shoulder. Glamoured as a fragile old lady, his mother who was normally almost as tall as him, even if in heels, barely reached to his chest.

"The Sealed Room. It only opens up in front of the true heir to the Coronian throne and her will."- Nerissa narrated. "This room is one of the many reasons for Magana's haste when it comes to getting her son married. And I only recently realized it."- she sneered bitterly. " I've grown unreflecting, Caleb."

"Why, what's the deal with this room? It keeps something about the Golden Spring?"- the man guessed, judging by the incrustation.

"Oh, more than just something, my sweet Caleb."- she whispered almost trance-like. "This room keeps_ everything._ It holds all the secrets of this realm, including the secret path to the Spring. A path which only the heir to the throne gets to follow once in her life. But don't let yourself be fooled. When I say once, it means _once_. Once the rightful Queen has been to the Golden Spring, she instantly forgets the path to it. Magic rules of this realm. Soon enough, Magana will not be able to access anymore, and if she doesn't get a female heir to the throne by getting her son married, she will forever lose the paths and powers of the Golden Spring. She'll lose the Heart of this realm!"

"But why?!"- Caleb didn't understand. "Why is the Queen losing her position so early, she's not even in advanced age!"

"See, I didn't catch that either. At first."- Nerissa confessed, letting the jeweled necklace which the Heart of Nimbus was, float close to the golden door. "But when Will told me the entire story of their visit to Coronia from years ago, it all became clear. When the Queen of Coronia gets to visit the Golden Spring at the beginning of her reign, she also gets to bring a bottle of the water back with her. It is kept in this room. _The Sealed Room_. A magical bottle indeed, but still, a _mere bottle_. It is supposed to supply her until her death until she has a daughter or daughter-in-law, who can take over the throne. Each Queen must drink this enchanted water till the last days of her reign, but Magana wasted a big fraction of her bottle to break some spell placed upon her daughter. Her dead daughter, that is. One makes the other meaningless, of course. Leonida is dead and Magana's bottle of enchanted water is running low. She must get herself a daughter-in-law in order to save her kingdom from everlasting drought. Without the Golden Spring, this realm will lose all its glory, all its riches and symbols of pride. It will become a place perfect for criminals, thieves, and other vultures to blossom with success."

Caleb stared at the door. He didn't quite know what to say.

"Good for her Majesty then, she has found a worthy daughter-in-law. "- he pretended not to have noticed the look which his mother gave him. "That's of course if she doesn't plan on just using Elyon to get more water for herself."

Nerissa shrugged:

"I wouldn't blame her if she did. Elyon _stinks_, Caleb. She's a terrible Queen to Meridian, what is left any other realm where her birthrights are not present to keep her untouchable. The sooner you and Cornelia understand that, the better."

"Anyway, mom, we came here with another purpose."- the man started to gently push her towards the stairs. "Let's take a final look around the royal bedrooms and flee. The Queen and the staff may return any minute."

Nerissa abandoned her attempts to alter the rules and bend the golden door to her will. It wasn't going to give in and she knew it. She let her son lead her up the many stairs. Disappointment was there, yet she wasn't quite ready to go down in the dumps and label this mission as barren.

The royal floor wasn't as rich and magnificent as the rest of the Palace. It was _much more than that_. It was like an exquisite painting, making Meridian's Palace look like a plan little sketch when compared to. This Palace was a work of art. And it was normal since Coronia had always been so rich and exuberant.

"Hey, what are these guards doing there."- Caleb hissed as he pulled the woman behind a large diamond column. "Look, this room must be important. Maybe..."

But he didn't need to finish. Having seen the men in front of the beautiful doors of that particular eastern room, Nerissa raised her left hand. In a swift minute, they were down on the floor, unconscious and out for the turn.

"Set these two aside."- she ordered as she grabbed the handles of the double-wing door.

Caleb nodded as his mother entered the room. The moment she did that, the two guards inside turned around with swords in their hands. Nerissa saw herself forced to throw them in the air where they made a fast swirl before hitting the opposite wall, much to the other woman in the room's horror. She screamed ear-piercingly, making Nerissa frown. _Why were these people still here, what were they left behind to guard_...and then she saw it. The little boy trembling on the big bed behind his nanny.

"Oh, work! Please, work!"- she squalled rubbing a big golden pendant in her hands. "Please, do something, you useless trinket! The Queen will _kill me_ if anything happens to the young Prince!..."

"Mary...I'm scared..."- the boy whispered with tears in his eyes.

"You don't even know what you're doing."- Nerissa noted as she watched the woman struggle with the supposed mystic object.

Mary lifted her eyes up with utter horror and just shook her head.

"I-I...I don't know anything about magic...Oh, please, mercy! Have mercy, please._ Mercy_!"

Nerissa growled, fed up with her screams, and waved her hand. Mary fell down, sidelined by a deep sleep.

"What was all that noise?"- Caleb showed his head in the room. "M... Oh, shit."- he murmured as he saw the trembling young boy step back in fear, as Nerissa approached him. "The young prince, right? So now what?"

"Nothing, C-.._.Carlos._"- Caleb frowned at the name his mother had just used to call him with, but then remembered. They were, after all, supposed to be undercover. "Give me a minute to calm this child down and we'll continue."

"I'll wait outside."- the man announced, not wanting to scare the child even more than they had both already did.

As her son closed the doors of the room behind himself, Nerissa carelessly pushed Mary to the floor and seated herself on the big bed. Dua was keeping his distance as much as he could, still afraid, though his curiosity appeared to be taking over.

"Don't be afraid, sweetie."- Nerissa said gently. "And I'm sorry for what you just had to see. Don't worry, they're all alright, they're just sleeping. You see, I wanted to keep a low profile and they were all over the place screaming unnecessarily...Say, why are you here all by yourself?"

"The strange rain."- the boy replied after eyeing her carefully. This old lady didn't seem very frightening to him, yet he had just seen her overpower four men, so he knew he had to be careful. His grandmother had taught him that. "Everyone went to inspect it and talk to the people. But who are you?"

"I'm...a friend."- Nerissa said. "Look Dua, I don't want you to be afraid. I will do you no harm. In fact, I'm leaving."

"But."- Dua hesitated. His grandma had also taught him _not to_ unnecessarily keep people around him when they were putting him in danger, but his child curiosity was stronger. Besides, if this old lady had wanted to do something to him, she would've done it already, right? "Why were you here at our Palace?"

Nerissa hesitated. What answer could she give to that young innocent child? Could she just put him to sleep with magic too? No, no. That wasn't needed. He was just a child, and sleeping spells often resulted in minor headaches. She didn't want him to suffer that. But before the ex-guardian could think of a proper reply to give to the young prince, the doors opened abruptly.

"Step aside, old woman! Don't you dare come near my grandson!"- Magana had just entered, angry as a lioness, but also shaking like a leaf.

Nerissa cursed under her nose and looked for Caleb behind the Queen. She had to see him in order to teletransport...

"Look, I'm not here to harm your grandson or anyone, I'm..."

"Really?!"- Magana exclaimed angrily, just now having noticed the people on the floor. "You're the one who caused this rain to distract us, what do you want? Answer before your Queen!"

As she said that, Magana conjured a ball of pure energy that she threw at her. Nerissa halted the ball in the air with almost no efforts. Magana's eyes widened at that and she screamed:

"Dua! The pendant, now! Use the pendant!"

The scared child did as she said. When Nerissa turned around, he was already under a bright gold dome of energy.

"I don't know who you are, witch, but you better retreat instantly."- Magana began warningly. "My kingdom is no place for people like you. Surrender and..."

"I have a better idea."- Nerissa interrupted her. She hated this glamoured voice. It sounded like _Elida_*. "You'll let me and my s... companion go."- she said as she saw two guards lead Caleb into the room.

Magana seemed hesitant. But before she could say anything:

"In your boldest dreams, trespasser."- Visser came on stage in his turn. "You've committed crimes against the crown! You and your companion are going nowhere but to the dungeons! And don't try any magic on us, or your companion will lose his life!"- he pointed at the sharp blade which one of the guards held close to Caleb's neck.

Nerissa clenched her teeth at that open threat, and managed to suppress her desire to send all of these fools to oblivion for even daring to speak like that of her son:

"Queen Magana, I did your grandson no harm. Return the favor and let me and my _son_ leave."

Magana looked at Dua and then back at the captured man. Her eyes were oddly avoiding his, as they avoided Nerissa's. With a lowered head, the beautiful woman said quietly, yet firmly:

"Very well. Guards, let this man go."

"My Queen, pardon me, but this is unheard of!"- Visser exclaimed in outrage and turned to the ruler. "You're just going to allow these criminals to leave free? This is a mistake."

Magana turned her head to him, her face as hard as a rock. Her gentle brows knitted in a hard grimace, she uttered:

"Do you actually deny my orders, Visser? Let me remind you, that I still am the Queen of Coronia!"- she said firmly.

"But they are _criminals_!"- the old man was sincerely dumbfounded, not to mention upset over his Queen's reaction and words. She was too, she hated herself. He was like a father, but she had no other choice...

"I make the decisions around here!"

"Mom, let's get out of here."- Caleb whispered in his mother's ear as soon as the guards let go of him. He figured that it was a good thing that he hadn't started a fight after all. Queen Magana was letting them go. They could still flee undetected, but Nerissa wasn't moving. She was studying the Queen with an arched eyebrow. Her lips were stiff. "_Mom!_"- Caleb whispered angrily, a little louder than needed. "What are you waiting for?! This mission was a total failure, we might as well leave before we have to fight for it!"

"No, it wasn't a total failure, after all."- Nerissa murmured under her nose, still looking at the Queen. For a second their eyes met and Magana hurried to break the contact. She went over to Dua under her guards' astounded eyes. The boy deactivated the dome and jumped in his grandmother's arms.

"She acts as if these criminals are people she _knows_."- they heard one of the guards say to the other. "Look at her."

"She does, doesn't she."- Nerissa smirked.

"What?"- Caleb tried to speak only for her to hear, yet his strong, booming voice found it hard to oblige to. "_She knows that it's us?!_"

"_Quiet, Caleb, _yes! I believe she does."

"But how?!"

"I have a few theories."- Nerissa whispered back slyly. "And I will find out."

"Oh, would you just leave already?! Gods, this is a travesty waiting to happen! Travesty!"- Visser gave up and left the room with arms raised to the ceilings in outrage.

"Guards, you're dismissed."- Magana called from the bed. "Take the unconscious men and the nanny, and give them aid."

"Oh, they will wake up momentarily, do not worry."- Nerissa interjected and smiled as she watched the Queen tremble.

"Your Majesty, you want us to leave you alone with these people?"- one of the guards couldn't believe. "But..."

"Why is it that everyone is disobeying me today!"- Magana almost screamed with tears in her hazel eyes. "I said take the fallen ones and _get lost!_"

"Grandma, don't cry."- Dua insisted and wiped the woman's eyes with his hands, as the guards pulled Mary and the other two out with themselves. "They're friends."

Magana seemed to tremble as he said that, but Nerissa smiled even wider and sat herself on the bed again, much to her son's astonishment.

"That we are, little Dua."- she said calmly.

"Please leave."- Magana mumbled, avoiding the green eyes. "You're scaring my grandson."- she claimed, holding onto the boy, pressing him against herself.

Nerissa couldn't keep her chuckle at that:

"Are we?"- she asked, eyeing the young boy who looked almost completely calm by now. "I'd say we're scaring you, and I don't see why, given that you see through this little facade. Unless of course, you have something to _hide._"

Magana bit her lips and exhaled deeply. She finally found the courage to look back, both at Nerissa and her son:

"Look. Just because, the circumstances demand my humility, doesn't mean that this is right. Trespassing my kingdom, creating this terrible weather, scaring all my people just so that you could sneak around the palace doesn't help build trust. Trust is something that is very much needed between us and you, given the ordeals that are about to face together-"

"Ordeals?"- Caleb couldn't stop himself from interrupting her. "You call my Queen's marriage to your son an ordeal? Well, that's not too trustworthy either! We wouldn't have come here if all these strange things didn't happen around you, you know, your Majesty."

If Magana could go paler at hearing that, she would've been as white as a sheet.

"I-I...I am afraid that I don't understand what you're trying to say- I don't _know you people_ and I c-certainly don't..."

"Oh, please."- Nerissa interrupted her. "You may have little enchanted water left, but it must be enough to keep your ability to sense and see glamours. Let us talk about trust here, Queen Magana, and why we didn't believe you when you said that you didn't know anything about your maid's fate."

"That is totally unfounded!"- Magana argued. "My words regarding Arzu were the truth. I have no idea what happened to the real Arzu, nor do I have any idea when and why someone started to pose as her and..."

"Sure you don't, you keep pretending that Phobos doesn't exist!"- Caleb raged, making the hazel-haired woman flinch. "I noticed it back at the engagement too! That's too much, your Majesty! I know that Coronia has never suffered Phobos, but you can't pretend that he has never been a threat to the Universe and just ignore the fact that he is currently free."

"What is more, the real Arzu turned in near the Infinite City earlier today."- Nerissa went on. "Or rather, she _was_ turned in."

"What?!"- Magana appeared to be sincerely surprised for the first time this afternoon. "The real Azru is in Meridian? She's well?"

Caleb and Nerissa exchanged glances before the ex-guardian replied with a stone look:

"You might want to send Dua elsewhere for this part."

"Send him elsewhere, but..."-having realized the graveness of the situation, the Queen sighed tragically and gently slid her hand against her grandson's forehead. "...this is his room. Never mind. He won't be hearing any of what is to come...How bad is it?"- Nerissa watched the other woman put the child to sleep with magic, something she had restrained herself from doing to such a young boy, mentally giving herself a point for having better maternal instincts.

"She's dead. Her heart has been torn out."- Caleb announced grimly.

Magana gasped and put her hands on her mouth, although the entire time she had sensed this coming. Ever since that psycho had revealed to be posing as Arzu...

"But I guess that doesn't raise anything, does it, your Majesty? Maybe now you'll consider Phobos a threat."- the rebel spat at the deeply-grieved woman. For all so many reasons, he just couldn't feel sorry for her. She was, as Cornelia would say, way too sketchy.

"So, I guess that this masquerade is no longer needed."- Nerissa waved her hand, giving herself and her son back their original looks. "Anyhow, since you recognized us from the beginning. I have to ask- did you see through my glamours or were you tipped off?"

Magana shot her neck up straight, her pale cheeks glowing with affliction:

"Mage, please! Arzu, I have to get her properly laid to rest... This is so terrible, I knew nothing about this, I swear! But you could've informed of that instead of breaking in here today, I really don't understand why you did that."

Nerissa narrowed her eyes at her:

"Well, I guess I could've. But this is how I process better. See, I came to your Palace today to look for information that you might be hiding, Queen Magana..."

"Hiding?!"- Magana exclaimed. "Why, I'm deeply saddened that you'd even suggest such a thing! Look, I apologize if my, at most collected attitude, has made you think that I underestimate the threat which your former ruler is, but I would never risk the union between Coronia and Meridian! We both need this marriage to happen, I take it that the girls, the guardians of Kandrakar, have revealed to you why I need it. And I also know, forgive me for saying this, that our resources interest you. Therefore, neither of us has benefit of deceiving the other. Which is why I fail to understand what made you proceed like this today?"

Caleb seemed to be hesitating. He was ready to take her words and leave before leading things to a bad note for his Queen and people. But Nerissa wasn't over:

"You're such a good actress, your Majesty, but there's this one thing that keeps betraying you."- she stated accusingly. "You're just way too smart to perfect that role of an oblivious fool! Don't take it at heart. It happens to the _best_ of us."

Magana blinked as if she had just slapped her. Nerissa stood up from the bed and dusted her clothes off.

"Hear me out."- she said with a glare. "I'm leaving now, but not before I make one thing crystal clear to you. I know that the enchantress helping Phobos is from this realm. I know that she has some connection to you, and when I uncover the truth, which trust me I will, you shall regret trying to play me for a fool!"

"That's enough, Mage."- Magana stood up too. "If you're going to come to my kingdom with such accusations you better have some proof to support them! If not, then please have some decency!"

"Mom, let's go."- Caleb said quietly.

"Decency?"- Nerissa almost screamed. "Ha! How's this for decency. You changed three tones and tactics ever since you were told about Arzu's demise! You're hiding something, alright, I know how people dissert when they do! There's something which you're not quite telling us and then you have the audacity to talk about trust and decency! Listen, Queen 'My days are numbered' as I give you an ultimatum and final chance! Tell us the entire truth or forget about Elyon marrying your son!"

Magana's eyes widened in horror:

"Y-you...You can't do that! This is ungrounded...This is unacceptable! You don't have the authority to-"

"You'd be surprised what authority I can_ demand_ if I decide to."- Nerissa interrupted her coldly. "You brought the enchantress to Meridian with you once, and that's enough of a ground for me."

Caleb sighed but saw what his mother was doing. He decided to side with it. That way, he was going to support his Queen, which was his duty, yet show Nerissa that she mattered more to him at the same time:

"You know what they say, your Majesty. Money and resources are easier to find than an heir to save the Golden Spring for the royal family."

Upon hearing that, his mother looked at him in awe and gently leaned against his strong arm.

"Final offer, Queen Magana. Take it or start looking for a new daughter-in-law."

At that moment, the ruler found herself at crossroads. She had two ideas to go with, that suddenly came in her head. She chose the second:

"Very well, then. How should I prove that I'm not lying?"

"Why not try giving an oath."- Nerissa suggested with a sinister spark in her eye. "A _special_ oath of course."

Magana returned the glance without hesitating.

"Good. I swear on my l-late daughter's memory, that I will not keep anything from Meridian. I'll give out even the smallest details. I swear."

She closed her eyes in visible defeat and when she opened them again, the Mage looked contended:

"Perfect."- she said melodiously. "Now, let's take this conversation to a more appropriate place, shall we?"

* * *

**_Heatherfield, 7:20 PM_**

Will walked in circles in the living room of the Hale/Crossnic household. She had teletransported from Midgale to Heatherfield half an hour ago, upon talking to Nerissa over the phone. She had had news. Her mission had been ''more successful'', '- _than you'll ever be as a keeper, dear Will'_, as she had boasted smugly. The redhead had frowned at that, but after all, that was Nerissa. She couldn't go without bragging and rubbing it in her face, especially since she was practically her replacement. Everything had been good. But the news Magana had shared with them had blown the redhead away:

"Would you stop that, you're giving me a migraine!"- Nerissa barked from the sofa. "And why didn't you bring my grandson for _at least_ a few minutes..."

"He'll be gone for less than two days, Nerissa, and today has already passed."- Will rolled her eyes. "Besides, Cornelia was already giving me the stink eye ever since I mentioned my suspicions for Andan's family, what do you think she was going to say if I vanished off with her son? No offense, by the way, Queen Magana, even though you kind of lied to us."- she eyed the royalty strictly. "Even if you were sort of forced to, I guess."

"It's alright, I realize my mistakes and fault and would like to hold to them."- the hazel-eyed woman said as if she was now shorter than the grass.

"So what do we do now?"- Caleb demanded standing up from his place.

"We start compiling our strategy against Phobos."- Nerissa said as she made her son sit next to her and framed his head in her hands. "Worry not, Caleb. I've already managed to exploit all his weaknesses and greatly helped you and the guardians bring him down twice. This time he will be brought down forever."

"Good, but how do we start our strategy without letting Elyon know."- Will pondered out loud. "I mean, we could always tell her, but then again..."

A round of applause had her shut up. Everyone turned in surprise as they saw the young blonde woman who had just teletransported behind the keeper of the Heart.

"Cornelia!"- Caleb exclaimed.

"Oh no."- Will sighed and face-palmed herself. "What are you doing here, Corn-"

"What, you ask what I'm doing in my house?"- the Earth guardian shot spitefully. "Or are you feeling awkward because of the fact that I uncovered all of you decided to use it to hold meetings of propaganda, going _against_ the promises which you gave me! Good job, Will. I told you not to ruin Elyon's happiness and what did you do? You forced Andan's mother to come here, didn't you! And _you_ helped her!"- she pointed accusingly at Nerissa.

"Cornelia, you don't get it. We're on Phobos's trail!"- Caleb walked to her. "He's hiding on Coronia, we are close to defeating him, we just have to act together!"

"I don't care about Phobos, Caleb!"- his girlfriend spat. "He might as well go die somewhere! He has already taken enough of Elyon's life with his schemes of evil! I'm tired of him taking her happiness away! I told you that Ely asked me to be careful, she really likes Andan. She wants this marriage to take place and all of you are about to ruin it! Why did you do this behind my back after you promised me not to?"

Caleb looked over to his mother helplessly.

"She _really_ likes him? Please, they met like yesterday."- Nerissa crossed her arms on her chest. "That's pathetic even for her!"

"Oh, I get it."- Cornelia shook her head snidely and glared at her boyfriend. "It was my word against hers again."

"Cornelia..."

"You can't be serious, Cornelia!"- Will couldn't stop herself anymore. "Did you forget your own words from the engagement or did you suddenly go dense!? You wanted to make sure that Elyon is going in good hands, now you just want to ignore the threats?! What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"You shut up, Wilhelmina!"- Cornelia yelled. "I suspected that you'd start acting behind my back when I saw that face you made in the car, but I couldn't even imagine that you'd team up with my mother-in-law and start such a big mess! It took you forever to accept her and now you're allies? What the hell is wrong with you, I ask! You're supposed to lead us, but you make decisions without us! I swear if Andan gets to know about any of this and that affects his feelings for Elyon-"

"Cornelia."- Magana took the word before the dispute could get any worse. "I give you my word that none of this will reach Andan's ears and that his and Elyon's relationship is not to suffer because of anything. There is no reason for that, actually. You've got it all wrong. Once we remove Phobos from Coronia, my son's relationship with Elyon will only get stronger. But it's important to act fast!"

"See, that's what we knew you'd never understand."- Nerissa announced coldly. "Not when blinded by your friendship with the Queen, at least. Neither of us is at fault, we only did what was necessary. Now we just have to organize the rebels and plan Phobos's seize-"

"No."- Cornelia raised her chin up. "We're not going to do anything like that."

_"No?!_"

"This matter is going to remain a secret from Elyon. We're going to take Phobos down on our own. Nobody on Meridian should learn about this."- Cornelia said firmly, further shocking everyone. "It's time we worked in harmony for a higher good."

"You don't get to decide for all of us."- Will shook her head. "You can't just lower our chances of capturing Phobos by cutting out on the number of people who can help! Cornelia, think like a sensible adult, Elyon's not a child herself, why must we..."

"All these years ago, when you decided to keep Elyon in the dark, you were wrong."- Cornelia reminded the redhead with ice in her voice and gaze. "You didn't listen to me then, but you will listen to me now, because this time Taranee, Irma, and Hay Lin won't leave you another option. And you know why? Because they care about Elyon, unlike you, and they understand the situation. As for our chances, they're not lowered. We just need to maintain harmony. We're the guardians of the Infinite Dimensions. I'm pretty confident that we can handle one psychotic prince on our own."

* * *

_Elida*- Nerissa's elderly neighbor from "Heart of a Mother"_


	11. Magana's Misfortune

_Chapter 11: Magana's Misfortune_

* * *

**_Coronia, 4:10 AM, local time_**

The cloudless, yet humid night which patronized Coronia, was kind of quiet, but tense. Like a calm before a storm, with the slight difference that this time, the storm wasn't about to consist of unseen rain. This time the storm was to be a surprise attack, a capturing action prepared by five young women and one man. The guardians of Kandrakar were flying close to the ground as the rebel leader walked on it. Strong and agile as a jaguar, Caleb moved like a shadow, determined to capture the man under whose tyrannical rule he had grown up. He was determined to _eliminate him._

\- _There, do you see it? It's that house over there, I'm sure of it! -_ Hay Lin was ecstatic, her invisible intelligence expedition had been successful. She had found the big house, or rather the 'Hidden Mansion', as the map named it. Phobos's hideout, as they were now sure. The Heart of Kandrakar confirmed their doubts by shining so madly when near to that building, that Will saw herself forced to absorb it in herself to dim its lights. After all, their attack was meant to be a secret.

\- _If the Mansion is so 'hidden', then why is it labeled on the map?_ \- Irma had to ask in their telepathic chat. _And how did Phobos manage to break into it? What a creep!_

_\- Remember what Magana said._ \- Taranee reminded her. - _Phobos forced her to provide him with the best she could offer and had made her swear to never reveal his location! Which is why she gave us the map and that seemingly impossible riddle._

\- _Thankfully, not in vain, we are one of the most successful guardians in history._ \- Cornelia interfered. _The riddle was the easiest part. The famous riddle of the sphinx for the human. In the first stage of our life, we walk on four legs, then on two, and then, in old age, on three. Supposedly._

\- _Then came the hard part._ \- Will went on, recalling her and Nerissa going over the given map. -_ It took us a little time, but in the end, we figured out the riddle's connection to Phobos's hideout, which Magana was sworn not to betray. The morning, which is the first stage in the riddle, is naturally on the east, from where the sun rises, so we looked for a place in the eastern corner of the map with 4 perfectly identical geographical features._

-_ The Four Lakes of Inner, Outer, Vicious and Immaculate Beauty_. - Hay Lin added rosily. - _Then, as the sun goes to the south in the middle of the day when the man from the riddle walks on two legs, we had to find two identical objects on the map. It was not easy to choose, but the two Royal Spruces were the only ones that met these requirements._

\- _Last but not least, we needed three westward features to complete our map decrypting._ \- Will said in their thoughts. _"The three everlasting fields" in the western lower corner of this area, were perfect for this purpose. Then, when we connected these objects, the name of the so-called 'Hidden Mansion' appeared in the ideal center of the resulting figure._

\- _That's how the Hidden Mansion appeared on the map and we were able to uncover where Phobos hides._ \- Taranee summarized. -_ Gee, Irma, I know that you were quiet during all these events, but you were present and I thought..._

\- _Sorry, Tara, for its NIGHT and I was unpleasantly surprised with this new mission._ \- Irma's loud voice sounded in their heads. - _This blows like big time! If Corny wasn't in charge of the parade, this action could have happened with the help of more people at a much more convenient time, when we would've been more awake! It might've still been at night, but still! Now that we know where Phobos is, whether we attack him tonight or on the next night doesn't matter much, does it-_

"No, Irma. We end this now. Once and for all."- Cornelia snapped, abandoning the telepathic connection. "I'm not going to allow Phobos to darken Elyon's life again!"

The Water guardian made a face but didn't say or broadcast anything more in response. She and her friends had landed on the ground, at the top of the hill from which the Hidden Mansion in the bottom of the valley was easily seen. Caleb had already caught up with them. His parents came next:

"We _will_ end this now."- Nerissa agreed with a cold mask-like expression. "But for that, we need not be heard from the mansion. Zip it and prepare yourselves. If we are to make this battle final, we ought to be uncompromising and striving. You cannot and should not make any mistakes-"

"Alright already, do your thing and let us do our."- Irma interrupted the other woman with undisguised irritation. She felt like, by now, they were far too experienced for these lectures.  
They had been guardians for over ten years, for cryin' out loud! More than Nerissa and her friends' team had lasted. Unlike C.H.Y.K.N, Irma and her girlfriends had managed to stick together through thick and thin. That being said, who was Nerissa (besides a very trying, constant presence), the one who had been the first to fall out of formation all these years ago, to try to teach them about their responsibilities?

_\- Let's not be arrogant, Irma._ \- Taranee had picked up on her thoughts. - _We're on the same team. What do we win from being frosty in a moment like this-?_

_\- Frankly, T, I'm not sure that we're on the same team!_ \- the Latina scoffed. -_ Nerissa's not a team player one bit, she always has her own game playing in the back of things. She has always been a big offstage sneak. Besides, I'm fucking tired of her and Cornelia deciding for us! I know that they're both impossible, overbearing narcissists, but it's getting out of hand._

Taranee didn't answer, she just looked down. The Water guardian's fury and anger towards Cornelia and Nerissa, as well as her sour mood, were all things that Taranee didn't like one bit. She was beginning to look at things skeptically by the time the former guardian completed her spell.

* * *

Cedric was sweating with tension. It had all happened so quickly - the unnatural fog and that terrible premonition he was fortunately having. How _fortunate_ he was to have insomnia...

He managed to give last orders, he made it to the vaulted foyer just when the mystical noise was heard. He knew that noise _so well_, the magic of the guardians!

Cedric's eyes widened in shock and refusal as the entrance door flew out of its hinges. _No, it can't be_, he cursed mentally, but it was too late for denial. It was time for action:

"He's awake?!"- Hay Lin noted with disappointment. "Well swell, so much for the big..."

"Surprise, lizard-boy!"- Taranee said with a fireball forming in her hand. "Didn't expect to see us, did you?"

"Where's your master, you clown?"- Irma glared right at him. "First you betray him and steal his power, now you're in his feet again?"

"That's no surprise for us because the two of them are no real men, they're both pathetic!"- Cornelia made it to the center of the foyer just when the soldiers came with swords in their hands. "You're two pathetic rats!"

"_Sss-_soldiers! Attack the _guardiansss_! Protect _Phobosss_ with your lives!"- the shapeshifter hissed, and Will knew that negations were over.

He took his serpent form, something that at the beginning of their journey as guardians, had terrified them, today could only annoy them. The redhead tossed her hair back and aimed at Cedric as he roared loudly and launched his attack.

* * *

"Do not be intimidated by this fog, men!"- the general called out, as he led his small troops to the back door of the Hidden Mansion. Truth was, he himself felt intimidated by this attack. He knew the guardians of Kandrakar and what they were famous for, he and his men weren't capable of defeating them by any means. But nevertheless, orders from the princess were mandatory.

"This fog is a trick of the guardians, we ought not to let it stop us from attacking their allies! We have to square away the perimeter! "

The soldiers lost no time in hesitating, they all rushed forward into the murk. Their bravery and loyalty, however, were quenched, met by a sheaf of lightnings that shook them from the ground up, imprisoning them into painful, tight electrical rings... Shocked and desperate, when he saw his last soldier captured, the general leaped forward, swinging his sword in every direction. Let it happen, whatever has to happen! Then to his surprise, he was suddenly able to distinguish the image of a...woman?  
No, the general knew that this was no ordinary woman, it was the sorceress herself! The one who aided the guardians and Phobos himself feared! Knowing that it would most probably lead him nowhere, the man let out a sharp battle cry and tried to pierce the woman with his sword. The fog had obviously deluded him because his sword met only air and after a second, he found himself with a kick hammered in his face. Another knee strike and someone caught him by the collar, dropping him roughly on the hard ground, where the general officially lost consciousness.  
Julian threw the fallen man on his back and looked at his wife, as the fog scattered partly, loyal to her will. In the air around them, a dozen men floated in their newfound shutters.

"It's time you took this man and his soldiers to the Palace where they'll have to answer to the _Queen_, Julian." - Nerissa spoke calmly. "I will get you there. Then, if Phobos is still loose, I'll get Caleb and come to you, leaving the rest to the _guardians_."

Her tone was unmistakably bitter. The veteran rebel turned his confused dark eyes to her one last time before getting teletransported:

"Why do you suppose that Phobos might manage to escape this attack? There is little to no chance, Nerissa, have more faith - "

"Call it a sneaking suspicion or call it on the poorly compiled, improvisation of a plan. But I for one know that Phobos managed to rule over Meridian for more than a decade and it takes more than this to defeat him for keeps. We have to be more realistic and patient, Julian."

In the end, Julian nodded, concordant with her statement:

"I'll be waiting for you and Caleb in the dungeons."

* * *

"This better be one grand coincidence, Leonida! HOW DID THE GUARDIANS FIND THIS PLACE?!"- Phobos raged from inside the mansion. "I thought that it was supposed to be imperceptible!"

Leonida didn't answer, because she herself thought the same. This wasn't a coincidence and she knew it. Someone had hinted the guardians on what to do and where to look. And that someone was an inside man. The woman frowned and stopped to listen- the battle upstairs was still going on in full force, while she and the prince had already made it to the catacombs. Their ticket to freedom, but not safety. They were going to flee the Hidden Mansion, but then what were they to do? This house had been the only safe place, but now that it was discovered, every other point in this realm was dangerous. They would have to run all the time, alert for the guardians and her mother's people, and that didn't quite suit the plan. _Unless..._ Her indigo eyes lit up at the thought. Unless they could get rid of the guardians for good, right here and right now, turning the mansion to their grave. Thankfully, that was possible.

Phobos opened his mouth to protest but he quickly understood what the princess was doing once she closed her eyes and started meditating. She had already told him about her inner connection with this house and its powers. He had to agree that the current situation called for the direst of them:

"Cedric is still fighting them, forget the Lurdens and your soldiers, but we must take him out before you evaporate this place."

"Is he _that_ important to you?"- Leonida sounded annoyed.

Phobos just crossed his arms on his chest:

"Do not question my words, carry out."

"Your Highness, the guardians are close to overpowering Lord Cedric. They've already defused the rest of our combined army. We must all escape through the catacombs before they find their way down here!"

The man that had just appeared to report, didn't even know how useful he would turn out to be. Phobos smiled sinisterly and turned to the honey-haired woman who just huffed in response. They were too sunken in shit right now for her to deny him on his whims. She had to make an attempt to get rid of the obnoxious guardians:

"Do as you wish! But be quick!"

"Wait, your Highness..."- the soldier took a step back in horror, as Phobos approached him with a dark expression. "What are you..."

"Silence, peasant."- before he knew it, the man saw the prince take his appearance and he was left with..._that of the prince himself?_ When the glamouring rings vanished, the disguised Phobos got as close to the other man as their bodies could get:

"You'll forget all your questions and thoughts and will do exactly as I say, my friend."- he hissed. "You'll do your King and Queen a great favor. Now take this knife and grab a hold of me, as we appear in front of the guardians. And better yet make it believable, because they will hardly end you, but if you fail me, I will not give your murder a second thought."

* * *

"Taranee!"- Irma yelled in alert as she watched Cedric throw her friend out the window.

She then turned around and glared at the shapeshifter. He was still strong, but he was definitely getting tired. Her next wave had him on the floor of the trashed mansion. Caleb, who was currently fighting the very next group, of what seemed to be an endless supply of Lurdens, jumped over them and brought the blade of his sword to the Snakeman's neck:

"Another move and you'll become a purse, bastard! Which side do you want the zipper on?!"

"Go ahead, rebel leader!_ Sss-slice_ my throat while you still can."- Cedric hissed hatefully. Cornelia had already wrapped a new set of thick roots around his tail and arms, preventing him from moving. "I'd like to ask, how _does-ss_ it feel? To depend on your girlfriend and mother for everything!"

Caleb's face went red with anger at that as he spat back:

"At least I don't have to depend on that tyrant whose ass you kiss all the time, Lord Cedric!"

"And I'd like to ask why isn't your mother helping?"- Irma flew above the man with hands on her hips. "We haven't captured Phobos yet, we lost over thirty minutes on Snake-Boy and these idiots."- and she gestured at the Lurdens which Will was currently keeping occupied. On the other end of the enormous room, Hay Lin was carefully sorting the fallen human soldiers, keeping them secure under her big air balloon from which they could never escape, even if they tried to.

"Didn't you listen when we talked the plan over?"- Cornelia snapped at her. She had just created a wall of spiky plants between Will and the flowing Lurdnes and was now fully ready to face Irma: "She's supposed to be out, wielding that fog spell which prevents Phobos or anyone from freely leaving the premises!"

"Oh, is that so, and who says?"- Irma didn't remain obligated. "Phobos might've as well already fled for all we know! I knew this whole attack on the go and dumbass plan were never going to work out the way they were supposed to!"

"Guys!"- Taranee had returned to the setting with a frown. "Quit it already! We're supposed to be looking for Phobos. As big as this place is, the five of us plus Caleb should be able to find him!"

"That may not be needed."- Hay Lin murmured with a gaze pinned somewhere behind Caleb. When the others turned around to see what she was looking at, they all knew what she had meant:

"Phobos!"- the rebel bared his teeth with contempt.

"Not a move."- Phobos warned as he came into light, holding the blade of a sharp knife against the neck of his captive- a terrified looking man in Coronian uniforms. "Or this man dies because of your mistakes, guardians. Coming here under such surprising conditions was low of you. Especially after my sister granted me freedom willingly- "

"Don't you even dare speak about Elyon, you jerk!"- Cornelia interrupted him angrily. "You tricked her into giving you freedom and you know it full well! But we never swore on anything, Phobos! We're here to take you to the Tower of Mists on Kandrakar, where you'll once and for all have the perfect spot to rot! _For eternity_."

"I'm afraid that is not about to happen."- Phobos replied. "Not unless, of course, you want this poor innocent man dead because of you, guardians of the universe. I believe that sacrificing other people's lives does not fit into your philosophy."

"You think that you can just blackmail us like that?"- the other guardians were silent, debating on the possibilities, but Cornelia wasn't giving up. Her anger was close to shaking the entire room. How dared Phobos? She wasn't about to let him get away this time: "This man and the rest of them did help you out after all. It's not like they're completely innocent."- she then noted coldly. "What makes you think that we care enough about your minions? Enough to choose their life in front of taking you?"

Irma turned to her friend in outrage before Will could react. There was something odd about this setting, but before she could put her thoughts into speech:

"Corny, you've gone absolutely nuts!"- she declared and pushed the other woman's shoulder." You blab about us being the guardians all the time, but now you're ready to sacrifice a life in order to achieve your goal! Wow, I guess that Nerissa has influenced you, after all, it's inevitable, isn't it? You have to learn from future mommy in-law!"

"Look who's giving out a lecture on morals, the laziest guardian ever, who didn't even care enough to come here and do her job without her constant whines!"- Cornelia snapped at the Latina. "Besides, looking out for insignificant criminals has nothing to do with our duties!"

"Shit, and here I thought that you have been present during Magana's confession! You know that these Coronians have been _forced_ to work for Phobos, you egoistical goose!"

"Enough, Irma! Hold it, Cornelia!"- Will saw herself forced to stand between them before they could keep yelling at each other, or even worse, take each other's hair and start a catfight. "You're being childish and immature; you don't even think about the case rationally! What does Phobos gain from appearing here with such hollow threats? Think about it! He must have an actual reason to face us when we outweigh him on power! Otherwise, he would've never taken the risk-"

"Duh, the reason is that he can't flee!"- Cornelia cut her off stubbornly. "He's trying to fool us with that same tick from the ball again, are you all blind?!"

"Oh, you mean when we were forced to listen to him because he was threatening your son?!"- Irma squalled from behind.

Taranee almost gasped at that and Hay Lin covered her mouth with her hands. Irma was about to cross a line and they knew it, but it was too late, the bullet was fired:

"You cared back then, but now you don't, because this time the one at stake is some random dude, not your blood and flesh! You've become just like Nerissa, Cornelia!"

Cornelia stared at her friend, motionless and visibly affronted. Will wanted to say something, but Caleb had reacted faster. He aimed all his anger at...Phobos. Hay Lin almost screamed in surprise, as the rebel leader tackled the prince near her.

"All this is happening because of you, mud!"- he growled hatefully, straddling the other man. "You'll pay dearly for everything which you've done and caused!"- and he punched him mercilessly and repeatedly.

Phobos didn't even seem to fight back. Cornelia bound him to the floor with vines as her boyfriend kept hitting him. _With this pace, they'd soon have him killed_, Hay Lin realized in concern. But neither she nor the others dared interfere. They all despised the prince anyway.

Will frowned in puzzlement, but when the sudden flashes from Cedric's abandoned side died down and he was no longer present in the room, a new burning glow in her chest made her fall to her knees. She looked again. Cedric and the Coronian guy were gone, but the Heart was acting like crazy, all of a sudden:

"Something's not right."- she declared as she took the disconcerted jewel out.  
A bright flash and Phobos wasn't Phobos anymore. Taranee gasped in horror:

"Oh my God! Caleb, stop! This is not Phobos, it's that man...the man whose life Phobos threatened..."

"But how?!"

"It has all been a lie. A diversion!"- Will shook her head angrily.

Caleb got off the bruised man and helped him to his feet. He looked over at Cornelia who responded with equally as confused anxiety.

"Umm, why is it suddenly that this house is like...on drugs?! Or were we the ones drugged?!"

Taranee lost balance, but she had finally been able to put the pieces together too. As everything around them swirled and blurred, losing shapes and boundaries, becoming a hurricane of colors and lights, she managed to shout:

"Not only that, Will. It was a trap! We...we have to get out of here!"

"I can't teletrasnport!"- Will yelled in response. The others tried to look at her, but it wasn't possible due to the constant smearing. Neither of them could teletransport. And the Heart just kept shinning like mad somewhere above their heads...

The sound around them was deafening. All of a sudden, the Hidden Mansion was quickly turning into a vortex. Cornelia screamed and grabbed a hold of her boyfriend as everything started turning around repeatedly.

"If we don't get out of here now, we'll die in these conditions!"- Taranee cried, but the noise drowned her words. She tried to use her powers to burn through whatever was that swirling around her, but nothing happened. The last drops of hope were leaving her...

* * *

"Come on, Caleb. What's taking you so long."- Nerissa nervously stomped her foot on the top of the hill she was standing on.  
She glanced once more at the valley below, where the fogs enveloped the hidden mansion in an impenetrable veil. The ex-guardian growled under her nose. The guardians were lousy but this was too much, why weren't they emerging from there already? Why were they unreachable when she tried to mentally contact them? All five of them were fools!

Nerissa was just cursing her decision to ever retire and let these five girls carry out the most important responsibility when she noticed something odd. There, amid the mist, some kind of light shone brighter and brighter, somewhere above the house, as it seemed. Nerissa frowned. But what was the nature of this energy that could break through the fogs of Neidron?* What the hell was happening in that house?! The black-haired woman rose her hands and summoned the mists away, clearing the view to the mansion.

"What the h-"- but she didn't have to finish. She knew what that purple-black hurricane unfurling over the house meant. She knew what it was, and the thought that her son was inside this doomed building, terrified her.

Nerissa dove down, flying to the house sending off all of her mists on the way. She needed all her energy to save Caleb from this disaster:

"Quintessence!"- she demanded, trying to dissolve that black energy around the doors at least partly. The Heart of Nimbus appeared to aid her in that. With a long, painful moan, as if lifting an enormous burden on her back, the sorceress finally managed to open the door. She saw the chaos inside and her son floating around in the chaos, and her heart stopped:

"CALEB!"

Inside the dark havoc which she and her friends had been thrown in, Will opened her eyes. She had kept them closed up until now, trying to fight the terrible vertigo, but now, on the top of their horrific prison, she could see a tiny bit of light. A rectangular-shaped light that didn't consist of chaotic flashes and shadows like everything else. Was that... the door?! It appeared that it was now all of a sudden on the ceiling. Will frowned to fight the relentless headache. That surprised her the least after what had happened.

The crazy colors and moving shapes stopped killing her for a moment, and she looked down at the rest of the guardians, also with their eyes closed, half-flushed by the chaos, as from above, Nerissa's voice overpowered the terrible sound of the blurry world:

"CALEB, YOU MUST FIGHT IT, MY SON! LOOK UP TO ME AND TAKE MY HAND! I WILL SAVE YOU FROM THE CURSE OF THE BLACK OBLIVION! CALEB-"

"Nerissa! They, they're all barely conscious, he can't hear you!"- Will managed to yell in response. "How can I get them out of here, I've tried everything!"

Nerissa wasn't too pleased with hearing her. But Will was the only one who could help save her son from death, as well as save the rest of them, of course. Still and all, deep in her heart, the sorceress knew whose life she'd chose if she had to...

"Will! You must concentrate and use the Heart of Kandrakar to bound each and every one of them to you! There's not much time left, if you surrender to the curse of Black Oblivion, the Hidden Mansion will disappear together with all of you. Forever!"- the redhead had never imagined that the other woman's voice would ever sound like that to her. Like a ray of hope in the tunnel, amid the cruel hassle of the black hole she and her friends had suddenly fallen into. That was the only way she could describe the feeling- like being sucked into a literal black hole.

"We tried everything, we even tried working in harmony, becoming one..."- Will closed her eyes again. "Nothing works...this...this spell can't be stopped, can it."

"No!"- Nerissa was panicking from above. "Do not close your eyes! If you do so, you'll never be able to escape oblivion. Fight, Will! I told you, I will help you! This spell can't be revoked, but you can escape its premises. Only the Hidden Mansion has been cursed to obliterate itself, which is why you're all in this situation. To be able to teletransport to a safe distance, you must leave the heart of the obliterating. The heart which is this house!"

"But how?"- Will tried her best not to faint. The moving colors were too much. "I can't...I can't even move...You have to teletransport us, I can't..."

"Don't you dare give up!"- Nerissa scolded her. She looked down at the havoc through the door and felt her heart crumble at the sight of Caleb, helplessly floating in the distance. "I can't teletransport you from in there, but I can pull you out! You just have to help as well, do not give in to the pain, it will vanish the moment you leave the premises of the heart of the obliterating! Bound the others to yourself, use your element!"

Will strained herself to the last limit. She knew that the ex-guardian was right, if she, as a leader, couldn't save her friends, she was no true leader at all, and right now they all had more than many reasons to survive this low blow. She concentrated and urged her powers. Quintessence, containing the element of life in itself, soon found its way to each and every leaving creature left in the chaos. Cornelia, Irma, Taranee, Hay Lin, Caleb...thankfully, Hay Lin had all the soldiers in air bubbles which were still whole, hence the redhead managed to bound them to the Heart as well. Last but not least, she felt the body of the last fallen man, the one used as bait by Phobos, being attached to hers.

"I... I did it."- she yelled over the deafening noise. "I'm holding them, now you have to pull us out!"

Outside the house, Nerissa gathered all her power as she summoned the Heart of Nimbus. She knew that this was harder to do than say:

"Alright. Now, wield your power and let it merge with mine! Our spells must blend together to form a wire of infinitely homogeneous Quintessence in order for me to be able to pull all of you out!"- she ordered firmly.

"Like a rope of energy."- Will realized. This was all one big game of pulling turnips out. A very dangerous variation, yet similar enough.

"Exactly!" - the ex-guardian responded in a shout. "But hear me out, for the connection between our two lightnings to be strong enough to hold out everyone, you must be willing to let our powers become one! You must willingly let me reach deep enough in your _authorities_, to be able to grab a hold strong enough to pull everyone out!"

"I'm willing, I'm more than willing to do so, actually I'm _dying_ for that to happen! And faster!"- Will screamed. Everything was becoming black; she knew that she wouldn't be able to do this for much longer. It was all up to Nerissa now.

"QUINTESSENCE!"- they yelled in unison and their spells met halfway through, merging into each other just like the former guardian had said they would. At first, the construction was flickering, but then it became a strong and thick, rope-like length, that started in the Heart of Kandrakar and ended in that of Nimbus.

Nerissa took a deep breath and started it- pulling the essence of their combined magic into her amulet, moaning and sweating through each and every second of it, as her enormous efforts weakened her knees. But she couldn't collapse now and she knew it- not when the mansion was beginning to disintegrate. One piece of matter flew out of the façade of the building. An explosion was near, everything was waiting to fall apart any minute now...

With a final powerful scream, the former Heart keeper was able to absorb the energy sufficiently inward, and when she saw the string of people outside the space of the disappearing house, she was able to transport them to her hill from which she had watched before.

Down in the valley, the obliterating energy spread and died down in the matter of minutes, and when Will managed to stand up on her feet again, there was nothing left in the distance. They had been able to escape on the strings... Speaking of strings, she could finally let her friends and the Coronian soldiers loose. They had made it out and it was all that mattered. Now that the world around was finally normal, they'd soon come to their senses. But Nerissa didn't look too good, she was about to fall down and hit the grass but Will caught her in the last minute. Not that it would've done her much harm to lie down, the redhead just felt beholden to her for what she had done:

"Hey, Nerissa."- she gently shook her. "There's no time for beauty sleep right now, come back to us. We have a Prince to catch."

Caleb was just coming to his senses when he saw his mother and jumped on his feet abruptly. The others were also respiring while he was already urgently demanding:

"Mom! Mom, open your eyes!"- he took the slender body of the ex-guardian in his arms. "I could hear you the entire time and I fought for you. Now you have to fight! Come to your senses!"

Nerissa's eyes slowly flickered open as she heard that. She smiled up at her son's concerned face and ran her hand against his dear face:

"Worry not, my boy, for I'm fine. We're all fine now that the danger of the dark obliterating has passed. I simply needed a minute to get myself together after the pressure. Don't look so disquieted now, I'm perfectly fine."

Will smiled at the rebel leader, as he exhaled in relief. Nerissa was fine and so was everyone else, in spite of the hell Phobos had just put them through. Will frowned. Phobos, right. After this last trick, she more than ever wanted to get her hands on him and punish him for everything. One look at Taranee, who nodded back, was enough. Their Prince hunt was going to continue. If that jerk thought that he could get rid of them that easily, he was in for a big disappointment.

"We could all hear you, Nerissa."- Hay Lin interjected. "Your thinking and knowledge saved us."

"Yeah, thanks for that."- Irma said under her nose. "You were useful, after all."

Cornelia gave her a little glare, but Caleb pulled her closer to himself and as she leaned on his shoulder, her desire to confront Irma's effrontery went to the back of her mind.

Back on her feet, Nerissa only tossed her hair back and gave something that looked like a half-smile.

"It's what I do best, Hay Lin. You don't have to mention it."

Taranee smirked. It was too comical to watch someone as charismatic and outspoken as Nerissa, facing trouble with accepting a sincere praise from her former enemies. She guessed that bickering with them suited her better than accepting their kind words. Yes, for someone with a huge ego, like Nerissa, keeping more distant and even pugnacious relations with her once opponents, was surely easier and less awkward than building up a new, friendlier relationship with no grudges held in-between.

"Of course, I have to mention it, silly!"- Hay Lin objected and Taranee's smugness vanished as she felt her friend pull her forward. "I know you're just playing all tough and uncaring! If time could make you reveal your love and soft side for your family, then such little rituals are important for the relationship between you and us to be stronger and more open!"- the bubbly young Asian had a great power, the power of bringing so many different people together...She had to give her that, but then again, she was Yan Lin's granddaughter. "Group hug!"- Hay Lin declared and pulled her flabbergasted friends closer.

Although they were all surprised, Nerissa the most, none of them pulled back. Hay Lin hugged the former guardian sweetly and as Cornelia threw her hands over her on the other side, she made Irma hold the blonde. Will and Taranee joined by throwing their hands around Hay Lin and each other, closing the circle of the group hug.

"Okay, this really isn't..."- Nerissa was meaning to say "needed", but she wasn't sure she meant it any longer.  
These young women around her, their friendship and eagerness to even welcome her in their circle, more officially, as they were doing it right now, provoked her thoughts and inner demons. It brought her sweet memories of happy times, moments she had had with her team, and their closeness...  
Once upon a time, she, Halinor, Kadma, Yan Lin and Cassidy had been just like them. For the first time, the ex-guardian felt something different than anger and bitterness when delving into the fact that W.I.T.C.H were their replacement. They were emoting what she and her friends had once had. Clearly, they were doing something right. "...that bad."

* * *

**_6 hours later, somewhere around Coronia_**

"You did this, mother! Be cursed! How did you manage to break your vow without suffering the consequences?! How do you still wear your crown even after you betrayed me?!"

"I didn't betray you, Leonida."- her mother replied in a dismal tone.

Even the beautiful little forest which they had met by couldn't comfort her. Nothing could anymore. Fighting her daughter had never been easy and each time she caused her pain, Magana regretted it. But she was forced to, especially since the kingdom and her family were at stake.

_*Flashback* **(takes place in chapter 9)**_

_All the commotion and the sudden rain were disturbing enough. The Queen assumed that this strange phenomenon was her daughter's fault. It had to be._

_"But what are you trying to achieve now, Leonida?"- she murmured under her nose. The crowd was huge and Visser was currently talking to them. All these dukes, wealthy men and women, and their children. All these workers. No, Coronia was definitely a realm of the wealthy. Even the farmers here could boast about owning a lot. But whenever such a strange event took place in their usually trouble-free homeland, they were all equally scared. Scared, as they knew that their money won't be able to bring them back their comfort and peace. All that burden was to fall on the Queen's shoulders._

_Visser was going to keep the people busy with his long speech for a little while longer, but then she would have to talk. Magana tried to stop her hand from trembling as to keep the umbrella straight above her head. It was useless- she was already quite wet. But what was she supposed to tell her people? That was the question, which she didn't have even a second more to think about, because the moment she got off the royal carriage, she felt herself being dragged. Someone dragged her to a close but secluded space between two houses, isolating her from the large square and its sounds, and as soon as she heard the feathers, she knew who it was. She had turned into a bird almost immediately._

_"How dare you come here, Leonida! After what you've done again! What are you trying to achieve through this terrible rain? You're such a disappointment-"_

_"Save your breath, mommy."- the beautiful blonde eyed her snidely. Somehow, to her mother's distress, she was managing to fight the curse and avoid its effects in spite of being so near... "Save it for your people. I'm here simply to warn you. I haven't come to chat, nor am I responsible for the storm."_

_Even under her cape, Magana spied the odd-looking talisman. It looked like a true magic object. Could that be what was helping Leonida overcome the curse?!_

_"What rubbish are you speaking."- she frowned. "You came with good intentions and you have nothing to do with this disaster? What a pathetic lie, I'm not stupid to fall for it, Leonida. Leave me at peace and fly to your hiding spot before, by mistake, you uncover your lies in front of the entire city!"_

_"I had to fake my own death because of you!"- Leonida bared her teeth and wanted to slice her mother's throat, but she couldn't even if she tried. That damn 'protecting' curse was still too strong. "Never mind. You may not be stupid. Enough. But you definitely are gullible."- the blonde smiled bitterly. "Blimey, I bet that was the reason why I could deceive you so many times. You and daddy were quite the fools back when you had to rely on the guardians of Kandrakar to get me back to you, eh?"_

_Magana blenched and glared at the younger woman. The rain around them was falling mercilessly._

_"Goodbye, Leonida. I can't waste any more time on someone as troubled and delusional as you!"_

_"Oh, so you don't want to know who caused this rain as means to send you out of the Palace?"- Leonida asked innocently. "Serve yourself then. But when she discovers some things about us, she will cancel that marriage you're putting such high hopes on."_

_Her mother, who had given her back to her, all ready to leave, turned around at the sound of that, wide hazel eyes full of distress:_

_"What are you tal..."_

_"The Mage and her son are going through your castle as we speak. By the Golds of Coronia, I hope that they don't uncover some dirty secret of yours before you make it back..."_

_"Why would they be doing that."- Magana whispered, even though it was obvious how very uneasy she was. That only made her daughter gloat:_

_"It's simple, mommy, people don't trust you anymore. Your crimes are written on your forehead. Hence, the Mage came to dig through your dirty past. Mark my word that when she finds out what you fear, she will do everything to prevent your dear son's marriage to Queen Elyon. Coronia will fall in ruins."_

_"It's all because of you!"- Magana cried silently, glaring at her daughter and her malicious grin. Leonida only giggled. "You're the criminal! Your evil deeds made them suspicious, but I fail to see if what you're saying is true, why would you come here to warn me? You want just that, you want Coronia to fall in ruins!"_

_"You're so silly, mommy, you don't even know what I want."- Leonida hissed. Her eyes were flaming dangerously. "Listen to me very carefully. Get back to the Palace at once and stop them before it's too late. But before that, you will swear on the Crown of Coronia. You'll swear not to betray me, my identity, or location. You'll keep the story about my death going even when that hag presses you to the wall."_

_Magana hoped that due to the rain the tears in her eyes would remain unseen._

_"What if. W-what if I'm tired of helping you. What if I want to tell them about you if I decide to warn everyone about you being that shameless enchantress helping Phobos!?"_

_"Then don't help me, help yourself! And if you don't, then watch Coronia die because of you. Because, my dear mother, if you do tell them about me, I'll personally destroy Andan's each and every chance with Elyon, and if you don't, but keep losing time, that will happen by itself."_

_Magana swallowed the tears backs and sighed gravely. This was not the first time such a thing was happening. Leonida's blackmailing worked, in spite of all the worse things she had done._

_"Swear on the Crown, mommy. Swear and go stop that mother-son duo before it's too late. Because trust me about this Nerissa, once she bites into something, she doesn't let go. Care to become her personal chewie?"_

_*end of Flashback*_

"You did this to yourself. You should've been more specific with that vow, Leonida."- Magana smiled sadly. "You made me swear that I'll keep your name and fake death in a secret, but you didn't say anything about Phobos. That's why I hounded the Mage and the guardians on his trail! They will do that evil man away for the better good of everyone, and you will be left alone in your insanity once again!"

The amount of hatred and betrayal Leonida felt at that moment couldn't be described. She glared daggers at her mother and wished her ill more than ever as she let out a scream:

"You are the worst mother this Universe could see! Whatever didn't you do to me, just as to destroy my happiness?! But you underestimate me again. Just because you still have your golden water and I don't, doesn't mean that I won't have you punished for what you did! "

Magana shook her head with tears rolling down the apples of her cheeks:

"Oh, Leonida, even the golden waters of the Spring wouldn't be able to give you wisdom. All that water which I wasted on you years ago, in a desperate attempt to save your life, proves it. You weren't born to serve the Coronians with grace and class, my child. You were born to fall for the wrong men and destroy lives! And it deeply saddens me!"

"THIS TIME I WILL KILL YOU!"- the rejected princess screamed, scalded by the other woman's words. The words which brought her most pain every single time... "You denied all my rights and diminished me; hence I will kill you, _jade_! You're no mother to me!"

"Kill me?!"- the Queen repeated angrily. "You know darn well that you can't, you can't lay a finger on us, Leonida. You can't hurt us!"

The secluded forest scene was both hot and cold from their words and emotions. In a fit of confidence over her protecting curse, Magana approached her daughter too much. She got into her personal space and glared right back at her. She was sick and tired of being terrified by her.

"I gave birth to you, you atrocious girl!"- she roughly held her jaw. "If someone was to kill the other one around here, it would've been darn right for that to be me, but I won't! I won't ever take your life away, even though I gave it to you in the first place. In spite of all your wrongdoings! Shame on you, Leonida! Shame on you for all your malice!"

"You've already given me a fate much worse than death!"- Leonida growled and pulled away. "You took my son away from me as you took away all the happiness that I had! You've been doing so my entire life, and for your last betrayal, you shall die, Magana of Coronia! I might not be able to kill you personally, but that doesn't mean that I can't have you killed by someone else! I have an idea, why not that be the one who you tried to denounce to our enemies!" - and she put two fingers in her mouth and whistled loudly.

Magana's eyes widened in surprise and fear as the birds on the trees around them all flew away, scared by the sudden noise. Her daughter's eyes radiated only pure hatred and she saw herself pinned to a wall. This time for real.

"Say hello to daddy from me when you see him. Oh, and don't worry, I will make sure to send your precious son to you too, very soon. So that the three of you can be happy together. In HELL."- Leonida hissed viciously and that was when her mother's anger prevailed over her fear of what she had in store.

Magana gave her a rough slap and in a second, tore the talisman from her neck. She had spotted it the other day. She was furious.

"My antidote!"- the younger woman cried just before she turned into the flaxen cuckoo again.

But before she could fly away, her mother had taken a hold of her in a rough fashion, shaking her with all her might:

"This is why I cursed you to become a bird each time you approach us, Leonida! Because you're evil! You're vile and you don't deserve to live among us or among people at all, for that matter! You are my greatest failure and pain. Should I break your neck now, ha? Not that you're absolutely defenseless? Because this is how your brother felt each time you threatened him! This is how your father felt before you d-did that...that unforgivable thing! Do you like being defenseless and overpowered?! Tell me, Leonida, should I just kill you and solve all of our problems?!"- Magana was crying aloud by now, holding the struggling bird that was her daughter. "Should I, my baby and perdition? Oh, Leonida, you break my h-heart, each time, you'll lie on it forevermore..."

"I wouldn't be considering that if I were you."- a sudden sinister male voice broke the woman off of her outburst of suffering. "But I find it amusing that you said perdition. Because that's what awaits you."

Magana stepped back in horror as she focused her wet eyes on Prince Phobos's threatening posture, so close to her that she could practically smell his scent. Gin and … roses? She took another step back, involuntarily giving her daughter the opportunity to escape her grip. Leonida landed on the man's shoulder and he just smiled. But there was nothing welcoming in that smile, the queen realized in terror. That smile meant _doom_.

"No...how are you still here?! The guardians, they should have hunted you down by now!"- Magana cried. "You're not welcome in this realm, Phobos of Meridian! And how dare you stand before me with threats. You're standing before the Queen!"

"Yes, that I am."- Phobos agreed with a little smirk. "But you seem to be holding something which I gave as a gift to your daughter."- as he said that, the talisman was teletransported from the woman's hand to his. "It's not very nice to steal, Queen Magana, but as the old saying says- an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. I also stole something from you. From your people. I've been draining Coronian life force for weeks, thus I managed to escape your insidious plot and the guardians' attack."- and he made a pause to haughtily put a hand on his chest. " To answer your question, you underestimated my power, but that is fine, we don't know each other that well yet."

"You've been feeding this..this vampire with our people's life force, Leonida? And then you try to tell me that you can be a good queen?"- Magana gasped in shock, once her daughter was back in her human form again, standing next to Phobos. "You're good for nothing! Disgusting!"

"Don't overplay it, mommy, your nasty trick with Arzu was also quite a disgusting one!"- Leonida crossed her arms on her chest. "And then we wondered as to why the sorceress has taken such drastic measures! You planned this all along, you wanted to expose Phobos and ruin our plans, and now we will _ruin you_ for it."

"What are you talking about!? You are those who have killed Arzu!"- Magana's tears were falling down again. "You killed her for your plans' sake! Curse you and your plans, may they all fail, may you never succeed!"

"Should I kill her now, my squeeze?"- Phobos asked with a deep frown. This woman was getting on his nerves.

"Give us a few more minutes. She can curse alright."- Leonida snorted. "I want to confront this harpie, who has always reproached me for lying, but has still used the dead maid to start her own plan! You stole the corpse and the magical satchel, and that is how you've taken Arzu's body to Meridian where you've left her as a trail for the blasted guardians!"

"What?!"- Magana gasped in shock. "I've done no such thing! I would never...Leonida, you mindless girl, that man is playing with you!"- she suddenly shot, having put two and two together. "He has done this, you're not even aware of his intentions! He has..."

"Yes, because I would sabotage myself."- Phobos interrupted her with a grimace. "Silence, you worthless cow. Humble before your death, at least, and shut your enormous mouth!"

"Leonida, listen to me. Think about..."

"Oh, please, mother!"-Leonida glared at her. "As if we would bother with the entire Arzu scheme if we could just cross through the divider. You're the only one who can do that! You've thrown her body near Nerissa's dens in order to begin your plan to eliminate Phobos. Your following actions speak for themselves!"

Magana shook her head in silence. She couldn't understand what was going on at that very moment, but she didn't have the time to think about it. She rose her hands and yelled:

"Enough with you, miscreants! This ends now!"

But her magic, even though it was powerful, got absorbed, submersing right into Phobos's spread hands. His cruel laughter brought chills down her spine, and soon her own daughter was laughing with him.

"Pathetic you are, mommy!"

Magana shook her head again. Too many things threatened Coronia and her family. What could she do?!

Just then, another man, who she wasn't familiar with, came from the deeper parts of the forest behind the Prince and her daughter. Magana watched him stop by them in a desperate attempt to catch his breath:

"Cedric, what the hell are you doing, we aren't done -"

"My Prince, the guardians are relentless."- the man said breathlessly, leaning on a tree for support. "I tried to lose them, but they are near. We have to flee now. They may appear any minute..."

"What?!"- Phobos yelled. "And you led there here, you fool!"

"I had no other way to warn you, my Liege! Let's leave. Who is..."- the moment he turned to her, Magana saw her chance and acted fast. The guardians were near. She _had_ to attract their attention.

_"In lapidem offensionis!" *_

Her spell pushed Cerdic on top of Phobos and they were both on the ground. With a desperate cry, she sent a beam of charges and lights to the sky.

"GUARDIANS! HELP!"

"YOU MISFORTUNE OF A WOMAN!"

Phobos's dark magic scalded her insides. Magana cried silently, not having the air needed to let out a scream. Her heart, as if made of glass, was breaking at that moment. The pain was terrible.

"My Liege! They're here, they're here!"- Cedric cried in distress.

With a fatal expression, Phobos broke his spell, but it was done. A contented smile spilled over his lips as he, his righthand-man and the princess teletrasnported. The spot where Queen Magana had fallen, was now just a sad area of dark, dry grass.

Taranee landed on the meadow followed by the other girls and scanned the area with a disappointed face:

"Hey, what gives, I thought those lights came from here!"- Irma exclaimed next to her, running her green-blue eyes around.

"These lights were a signal for help."- Will announced grimly. "I just hope that we weren't too late."

"A signal for help, but from whom?"- Taranee rubbed her chin. "Not many people around these lands can use magic."

The girls looked at each other before giving the scene they had landed at, another look. Hay Lin knitted her brows, but before she could speak:

"Oh, please! We've been chasing Phobos for hours!"- Irma crossed her arms with a huff. "I'm sick and tired, and he obviously fled again! What a coward, bet his balls are small! The guy doesn't even have the ability to fold out of this dimension, I say we go to Kandrakar and have the Oracle raise the veil around Coronia too, and the problem will be so-"

"And condemn all these people to such a ruthless fate? We don't take _stupid suggestions_, Irma, remember that. And I sincerely hope that you know better than to kid right now!"

Irma glared at the blonde woman and suppressed the urge to throw a wave at her with great efforts:

"Oh, yeeah?! I for one see your initial suggestion as stupid, Ms "_We CaN soOo tAke PhObOs on OuR Ownn"_! Plus, admit it, Cornelia! You only care so much about this realm because it's Elyon's stupid fiancé's!"

"No, I care, because I'm a guardian of the Infinite Dimensions!"- Cornelia turned to the Latina and replied to her glare with a venomous look.

"Yeah, yeah!"- Irma snorted. "You say that a lot, but actually, we got downgraded to Guardians of the Veil again, so I say raise the veil around every world like it was done before and shut up! Problem solved!"

"Sure."- Cornelia mused mockingly. "If everyone were as lazy as you..."

"QUIET!"

Hay Lin's scream got everyone's attention. She was flying above their heads with a focused expression:

"I'm trying to hear Phobos in the distance-"

"Yeah, we all saw where that took us the last time. To a damn swamp where Phobos was not even present."- Irma folded her arms with an unimpressed face.

"- but the air here, around this very spot, is so dry and depressing!"- Hay Lin went on.

"Figures. After all, Phobos's sorry ass was just around here. Maybe he farted or something. Eww. Phobos fart, thanks a lot, Hay-H-"

"Shut up, Irma!"- Cornelia yelled. "I think I know what you mean, Hay Lin. Connecting with our elements is a good way to find Phobos. I _know_ that's what we've been doing ever since we started this mission, but _some of us_ aren't trying hard enough!"

"Hey, I asked that lake where Phobos is and it didn't tell me, how is that my fault!"

"This is not how we properly connect to our element and environment, and you know it, Irma."- Taranee shook her head. She and Will had just returned from their brief tour of the surrounding area on foot, just in time to see Cornelia kneeling to the grass.

"We have to open our heart for the heart of nature, which we carry inside of ourselves."- Hay Lin narrated. "Each one of us is the guardian of a certain natural element, and we can do much more with that power if we all open our hearts, minds and souls. We need to become one with our element in a more humble and spiritual way."

"And we do need harmony too."- Taranee noted, looking at Irma who just sulked. "We're more mature now and it should give better results if we decide to really work hard for it."

"The plants around this place are all scared."- Cornelia announced after a few seconds. "The Earth is scared. And it doesn't just get scared over someone's presence like that. No, a very dark spell was cast here. This place is drenched in negative energy."

"If we are done with the blunt environmental speech by Miss Green Talking Veteran, can we get movin'? I want to capture Phobos before it gets dark. _Again_."- Irma snapped and flew in the sky, showing everyone just how unhappy she was for having to guardian-up before dawn for this mission.

From the ground, Cornelia clenched her fists:

"Why that immature, little..."

"Don't get angry with her, Cornelia. She's just tired."- Will put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "We all are, but you're right. This area is odd, this is also where these sparks came from. A cry for help that we will have in mind and return to investigate. But right now, we just have to keep looking for Phobos. Do you agree with me?"

At first, Cornelia was a little surprised by her words, but in the end she reconciled:

"I guess I do"

* * *

_**Coronia Royal Dungeons, 12 PM local time**_

"I still don't quite understand. Why would these Coronian men with close to noble status help Phobos?"- Julian shared his thoughts aloud, with eyes focused on the prisoners.

After the surprise ambush on Phobos, they had been able to capture most of the soldiers and servants that had been hiding in the Hidden Mansion with him. They were all brought to the royal dungeons- a wide and illuminated, richly decorated underground, that was almost nothing like a prison. The veteran rebel and his family had arrived to question them while the guardians continued their search, but they were in for an unpleasant surprise.

Stricken by some sort of dark spell, the captives were unable to say two sensible sentences in a row. Phobos's trademark cruelty- apparently he hadn't thought twice before sacrificing his supporters in the name of his own sake.

"I don't know, Julian. Something in the entire problem doesn't add up."- his wife was striding around the premise with hands on her hips. "If the brat was actually working alone the entire time, like Magana said, how did he manage to discharge the Cavigor prisoners whilst being held in the ballroom? How did he flee from Meridian in the matter of minutes?"

"He might've acquired temporal minions."- the man shrugged, a look of concern in his eyes. "Like these men here...Why, you have other hypotheses?"

Nerissa didn't answer right away. Telling anyone that she had revealed Magana's lie in the moment of saying, was pointless at this stage. Will was probably just going to accuse her of risking the lives of others. But nevertheless, the ex-guardian did have a reason to let things unfold as directed by the Queen. She had gone along with her version, even though, after 15 years spent in the Meridian Palace, she knew full well what Phobos's hair actually looked like. Goodness gracious, she had washed the brat's clothes and bedsheets! His hair was an extremely fair- almost white toned hue of blonde...Not that dark honey-colored strand that the deglamouring potion had revealed the posing maid's hair as. But naturally, Queen Magana couldn't have known that such little details were involved in the entire game, she had played her part in a very deserving fashion. Nerissa smirked under her nose. At some point, the hazel-haired fox had almost fooled _her_. But that hardly mattered, even though she knew that Magana had gone for an untruth, she was still on pins and needles, waiting for the _truth_ to be revealed.  
Unfortunately, as the hours went by and nothing happened, she was losing patience.

"Nerissa?"- Nerissa flinched but quickly proceeded to relax her muscles as she felt the man's arms around her. "Is something else to matter?"

"No, no. I'm just...yearning for all this to be over sooner. As I'm yearning for you. In fact, why don't you take me somewhere tonight. Somewhere fun and bright, and then somewhere secluded and romantic..."

Seeing his bearded grin made her smile too. She had distracted his worry, distracting her own at the same time.

"Whatever you say."

But their moment of intimacy was short-lived when the gates of the dungeons opened and two men walked inside. Caleb walked along with the Coronian prince, whose features were glum and impenetrable.

"Caleb, are there any news in reference to Phobos?"- his father began at once.

"Hardly."- the younger man shook his head grimly. "The guardians are still searching for him. He escaped them yet again near the Eastern Mountainous Wetland. "

"Well."- Nerissa folded her arms on her chest. "I can only hope that we haven't given the said guardians a too hard task."

They had bonded earlier that same morning, but now that it was noontime and their mission was still fruitless, Nerissa was starting to get annoyed, willing to take it all out on the guardians:

"It's not all in their hands, mom. The cad is quick and clever, he has studied his way around Coronia. You saw how he almost killed us all in that mansion... He's escaping them so skillfully as if he's a _native_ to these lands."

Julian and Nerissa exchanged glances before looking back at their son.

"Then what is it that you want to say, son?"- Julian asked. "And why is his Highness with..."

" Prince Andan had some worries to share."- Caleb murmured glancing over at the shorter man. "He..."

"Mage, I apologize for interfering with your affairs. I sincerely believe that you and the guardians of Kandrakar are the most qualified people to fight our joint enemy, given your history with him."- the prince spoke for the first time since his arrival alongside Caleb. All eyes were focused on him. He took a deep breath: "But my mother's disappearance leaves me no other choices. My mother, Queen Magana, left the palace more than three hours ago. She can't be reached and is still gone, I'm afraid that Phobos might have done something to her."

Nerissa's green eyes shone probing. Magana had gone out? No, now she was sure that her test was over. And it had been worth it because the results confirmed her initial thoughts. Now the prince had gotten her full attention, and he obviously felt it, because he tried to escape her look, but she didn't let him. He was indeed pretty. _Too pretty_ for the seedy Elyon, anyway. Now she was to test his intelligence:

"I see, your Highness. I see where you're coming from, yet I can't help but share with you, that I didn't feel like your mother told us the _entire_ truth yesterday."

Andan twitched as he heard that. He tried to conceal his initial reaction, but it was too late. Not only the sorceress but also Caleb and Julian had noticed it.

"What?!"- Caleb spat. "But how? She swore an unbreakable oath! How could have she hidden something from us in spite of that?"

"Yes."- his mother agreed and shrugged her shoulders lazily, as she kept staring at the prince. "This is a question that has been bothering me, but I remain determined. I will need the entire truth, that hidden part, in order to help your mother escape Phobos's wraith, Andan. I'm sure that you get it."

Andan shook his head somewhat irritated:

"No, Mage. I have no idea what you and mother have been discussing, for all I know, she went out three hours ago, but with the threat of Phobos hanging over all of us, her safety is at great risk. Please, do help me retrieve her before something terrible happens-"

"But, your Highness."- Julian interfered. "I don't understand, why has her Grace, your mother, gone out in the first place, when she was informed of the guardians' attack on Phobos? It wouldn't take him much time to come to realize that she has found a way to betray him despite his dirty tricks. Queen Magana couldn't have not been aware of that. That being said, I don't understand why would she risk going out-"

"What are you and your mother hiding from us again?"- Caleb raged as he grabbed a hold of the other man's shirt. His parents' words and Andan's ambivalent behavior had served as means to open his eyes for a bigger deceit. The Coronian royal family were a bunch of manipulating liars, in his eyes by now. "Enough with your games! You're not marrying Elyon if you don't stop being a lying rat!"

"Caleb, control yourself!"- his father demanded.

The guards at the entrance headed towards them, seeing the young royal being roughly handled, but Nerissa's spell stopped them in their tracks:

"Andan, you must make a decision, child."- she said coldly. "Either you tell the entire truth which Magana spared us, or you'll be left to deal with her disappearance on your own. I can only imagine how angry Phobos must be with her, upon realizing that she has betrayed him."- the sorceress finished mockingly, gifting the hazel-haired man with another cold glance. In part, he reminded her of Elyon and her own incompetence. That man was royalty while her son was to simply lead the Meridian Intelligence Guard? Her son, who had such golden traits, worthy of a true king. What a shame!

Andan was obviously debating. The rebel leader had let go of him, but he still stood perked up and tense, as if someone was pointing a sword at him. Nerissa was getting impatient. Did she really have to pull the words out of this fool's mouth with a cane? So much for the intelligence test. He was as dull as Elyon, they deserved each other!

"The enchantress which your mother lied to be non-existent, you silly boy, tell me the truth about her!"- Nerissa snapped. "I know that Phobos wasn't the one posing as that maid and as the 'mysterious woman' who released Cedric. I know that he has been getting help from a person coming from this realm, for a long time now. What I don't know is why?! Why is your family trying to compound her identity as much?! Who is she?!"

"Is Magana the damn enchantress?!"- Caleb raged and shook the bedazzled man once more. "Answer, you d-"

"No!"- Andan yelled in outrage, pushing the rebel's hands away. "My mother is innocent! Don't you ever dare impeach her again! _Leonida_ is the one who brought our family immense shame! Leonida isn't dead, Mage; my sister's the enchantress in coalition with your Prince Phobos!"

* * *

_Trivia:_  
_In lapidem offensionis!* (from Latin)- Stumbling stone;_  
_Neidron- a realm with magical wells wielding fog (witch book series: the Fogs of Neidron)_

**_A/N: So, what did you think? Magana altered the story of Phobos's stay on Coronia, as to get rid of him without violating her oath, but it didn't live up to her expectations. Despite her trickery, only a part of the truth was revealed. Nerissa saw partial flashes of it, but how much more will she endure to be a step behind Phobos? The breath of war is in everyone's necks. What is to happen next? Stay tuned. :D_**


	12. Shifting Nature

**Chapter 12: Shifting Nature**

Frost wasn't a man who had life treat him with kid gloves. Fairly speaking, life hadn't treated him at all, for the most part. Ever since he had been a little boy, he had been forced to work, to be able to acquire a livelihood. Later on, upon joining Phobos's detachments, he had been given a chance to see better, even happy days.  
Becoming the Prince's main hunter had provided him with golden opportunities and for over a decade, life had been good. Not that Frost had ever required much to be satisfied with his life- rich food, hunts, drinking, pubs and women. No more no less. For some time, he had had it all.

Then of course, everything had gone south. The Light of Meridian had doused the light of his satisfaction and life had become repugnant again. He had been lured into becoming one of Nerissa's Knights of Vengeance, only to be thrown in jail again once his service was no longer needed. Then his former master had come to reign once more, pulling him out of the dumps, but alas, it had been a short-lived experience. The next ten years after Phobos's final defeat, the hunter had spent in the dungeons.

Now that Raythor's redeeming program offered him a chance to have freedom again, that one thing that he had missed the most over the last decade, he was definitely not going to waste it.

But where was that old dog? Frost grumbled impatiently in his cell as he peeked through the electrical bars, eager to see a familiar figure approach his prison. It was time for one of their scheduled walks and Frost was sure that this time he had it right. Friday after lunch, the captain had said. Well, it was Friday and Frost had already eaten his lunch. (one thing that Elyon's reign did benefit him with, even as a prisoner, was the varied menu)  
So then, that being said, where was his honorable supervisor?

"Why aren't you wearing your shackles, idler? I told you when to be ready! That clock in your cell ain't there for the décor."

"Horseshit, Raythor!"- the mix-breed man exclaimed. "You scared the life outta me! What are you doin' lurking at the other end of the damn prison..."

Raythor gave him a glare that was eloquent enough, even for a brute like Frost. He knew when he had to shut his mouth.

Ten minutes later, all shackled and ready to roll, Frost was taken out in the cold, but bright day. Winter was definitely coming, and he loved it. His name wasn't "Frost" for no reason. Winter had always been his best hunting season, as his body was well-adapted to the big chills, while most of the wild animals were suffering from constant accidie at this time of the year.

They had walked in silence for a few minutes when the brute couldn't resist it anymore. Raythor was strict and dedicated to what he was doing, but he never walked so silent when with another person. Even if that person was a mere prisoner. Apparently, something unpleasant had happened since their last walk, and Frost was curious to find out what exactly:

"So uhhh, say Rayhte; something interesting happened lately? Something bad?"

Raythor snorted quietly from behind, as they kept walking through the pine forest. They were getting deeper into it by now.

"How is it that bad equals interesting for you, each time, barbarian."

"Hey, you know what I meant!"- Frost replied in a gruff voice. "You're about as silent as me ass. I assumed that something has happened with her Majesty, hell if I know!-"

"Nothing of the sort has taken place, thank the ancient gods."- Raythor interrupted him icily. "And if you're so interested in the gossip, I'm going to disappoint you, Frost. I don't do gossip. Especially not in the presence of a prisoner who is still on probation. Now count your steps and quit blabbing!"

The hunter glowered and decided to keep his mouth shut for the rest of the walk. What did Raythor think, that he was dying for his attention? What a stuck-up, little bitch he had turned into ever since being under the Mage's wing! If it wasn't for the darn lonesomeness in his prison cell, Frost would never have felt the urge to talk to him at all. And this abominable exercise of counting the steps which he insisted on was as obnoxious! Not too bright by nature, Frost often didn't count and tried to give his supervisor random numbers when asked, but the captain seemed to count himself, hence he punched him after every lie. In the end, the hunter had reconciled and started to count.

After a while, Raythor apparently needed to go and do his business in the bushes, because he tied Frost's shackles to a giant tree and told him that he'd be back momentarily. Frost frowned in puzzlement as the other man disappeared in the forest. Surely, he didn't need to go so far from him to stale! Maybe he was going for number two...

Frost didn't care to know the details anyway. All this could easily be one of the captain's darn tests and he didn't plan on failing. The hunter wasn't going to attempt to escape, even if there was a slight possibility for that to be successful, not when he was so close to retrieving his desired position as royal hunter.

No, he didn't care whether he was going to hunt for Phobos or Elyon anymore. Both royals were good for nothing_ scum_ in his eyes, but he knew his best interests. He wanted his freedom, his loyal Crimson and his peace. It was shocking to see what reconciliation he had come to, he would not even mind living among nasty creatures like some specific rebel representatives any longer. Yes, Frost had recognized racism as his vice. After years of imprisonment, he had learned to compromise. Yes, surely, he was never going to think of Vathek and his kind, for example, with a great deal of love, but he was willing to share a realm with them. _Peacefully._

But that giant tree didn't seem to be as strong as the captain had originally thought of it to be. Frost hadn't even intended to do this. He had just leaned against it, darn it! But no, that little seek of comfort nearly resulted in his death.

The tree bent backward with a roar, obviously impacted by his weight, and dragged him and his chains along with itself, down straight into the ravine by which it had grown! Stunned and in pain after the surprising fall, the hunter barely rose, covered in vegetation. What _horse shit!_ He was just about to curse soundly when a sudden sound made him freeze …

"What the hell- "

"Ah, don't bother! Trees have been falling in here since morning. After the storm from last night, they're already halfway down, and since the ravine is expanding..." Frost's eyes widened. Even if he couldn't see the woman's face, which was covered by her tattered cloak, he knew her voice full well: "Anyway, Cedric. You shouldn't be here; your _master_ won't approve of it."

_That slimy little shifter who everyone thought had died_, Frost realized, trying his best to stay hidden amid all the vegetation he had fallen in, despite the pain and his big sizes. Thankfully, the big tree that had ended on top of him halted his movements.

"Don't tease me, Miranda."

So the figure, whose back he could see through the little gap that had formed in his vegetation cover, was Lord Cedric himself! Frost didn't feel himself stopping to blink, too dumbfounded to even think of it.

"I'm not plotting against Phobos, I can't, even if I wanted to. I'm plotting against Leonida."- he said that last part with open contempt which seemed to amuse Miranda.

"Serves you right for taking that oath for him. And obviously he had already made his mind, he wants Leonida. Hence, you're aiming to eliminate her. Good thinking, my love."

"I had no other choice."- Cedric nearly hissed. "Be that as it may, the Prince has indeed done much for me. He deserves at least a part of my loyalty."

Miranda shrugged playfully. Even though she and the other shifter were both in human forms, Frost could feel the chills run down his back as he remembered them and what they were capable of. These two were terrifying, and his luck was terrible. If they caught him spying on them, though unwittingly, they would kill him on the spot. Frost gulped inaudibly, praying that Rayhtor will show up to save him sooner...

"I can't eliminate Leonida just yet."- Lord Cedric went on with his story. "She still has to serve Phobos's main plan, but after that..."- his voice lowered dangerously.

"After that nothing! We'll be forced to follow Phobos's every wish and desire yet again."- Miranda interrupted him gruffly. "We should've sought lil' naive Elyon's forgiveness while we still could. Nerissa did, and she's now practically Queen of the Castle. She is slowly, but determinately, starting to pull the strings of the entire kingdom!"

"You will agree, my beloved, that we cannot compete with Nerissa in any respect."- Cedric said darkly. "The least of all reasons is that we have no relationship with the guardians and Elyon like she does. At least when Phobos comes to power, we won't have to live in hiding anymore, as we do now. Because if we dare to come to light now, Nerissa will be the first one to hunt us and take us back to our cells. If not worse. She needs to go down and we can't risk trying to approach Elyon with her around, even if her way of ruling over Meridian satisfied us."

"I know, it's too late for that."- Miranda made a face. "But you didn't finish your story, Cedric. How did you manage to stab a knife in the all-powerful Leonida's back without her sweet prince's notice?"

Cedric's lips twisted in a dark, contended smile. He loved the part in which Leonida fell for his trick. And he didn't even have to overstep the word he had given to his prince...It was just priceless, and it was just the _beginning_ of her failure:

"She's obviously deceiving my Liege. She doesn't really love him and I can see that he is starting to have feelings for her- "

"As if anyone could love him"- Miranda sneered and eyed the blond man playfully. "Oh, that's right, I forget. _You _do."

Cedric frowned, but he didn't reply to that, he just went on:

"The princess has no idea that one of the twelve passages is opened. I managed to open an ancient passageway between Coronia and Meridian that she most probably doesn't even suspect exists! They believed that my outings were pointless... Royal people can be too full of themselves, Miranda, too full of themselves for their own good. Of course, they couldn't have known that I've been commuting to Meridian without their knowledge for weeks! I took the body of the dead maid across the divider, purposely leaving it near one of the former entrances to the Infinite City, which of course, Nerissa has now switched up. Nevertheless, the deed was done. The rebels found the corpse and that made them suspicious of the Coronians. You wouldn't believe the drama which Nerissa created on Coronia afterward... Of course, I had to warn Leonida that the sorceress is snooping around for evidence so that she could talk to the Queen. After all, I didn't want our presence in the realm to be revealed, all I wanted was to hurt the damn princess...  
In her turn, Leonida blamed her mother after the guardians' attack, believing that she has purposely left the maid's body as means to alert Elyon's people because Magana can cross the veil through the authorized portal... I will admit that a few unforeseen things happened and we were almost defeated, but in the end, things worked just as I had wanted them to, my dear Miranda. Phobos and his plans are out of harm's way, Leonida was left with a big wound on her heart and her mother's fate was, needless to say, tragic. And note that this is just the beginning of that little wretch's sufferings. After her service to Phobos is complete I will eliminate her _permanently_. "

Cedric finished his confession with flaming eyes and looked at the woman in front of him. Whether she was impressed or not, Miranda smiled wickedly and came closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck:

"That's all so very great, my Lord."- she said alluringly. "You're such a clever and talented man, look at you, you fooled three powerful sorcerers and the guardians, as a door prize! You were born to be a powerful ruler! Too bad that even after the war ends, because of your dumb oath, Phobos will still stand on top of you."

Cedric's smile quenched and he almost glared at the other shifter, but they couldn't continue their discussion, because, at that moment, Raythor's voice sounded from above the ravine:

"Frost?! FROST, you darn animal, I knew that you couldn't be trusted! Where are you?!"

Frost almost moved under the leaves. No, he couldn't alert Raythor that he was down here before the shifters left. Thankfully, they were thinking of doing just that. Before the hunter could lick his lips from all the pressure, Miranda had pulled out a small idol of some sort, with the help of which she and the blond man teletrasnported away.

Frost waited a few more seconds, just to make sure, before raising his voice:

"In here, Raythor! I haven't escaped, the tree fell into the darn gully! I'm still tied to the damn thing! What took you so long, couldn't relieve the bowels or what?"

"How did you manage to push the damn tree and yourself down there, you moron!"- the captain's sullen voice came from above the ravine. "Wait, I'm coming."

Frost finally exhaled all the air he had been holding in, blowing away some leaves and pine needles from his face. What the hell had he just witnessed? But now that he had made it alive _after_ overhearing it, he could just say that he had been at the right place at the right time. For the first time in a while, he had an idea. An idea of how to get that newfound information to serve_ his interests._

* * *

**_Heatherfield, Silver Dragon basement, 4:40 PM_**

Yan Lin had never thought that at the age of 72, she'd still be serving Kandrakar and its never-ending missions. Not on Earth, at least. But then again, she had also never imagined that at the same time she'd have her friend, Nerissa, who had once been just two years her junior, sit in the Silver Dragon's basement with _no bra on_. Well, of course, the former Air guardian was only able to note that because the other woman's magniloquent top's back was made of a transparent dark network; her actual breasts were covered by the front of the blouse - a sophisticated composition of mesh and suede in the black range. That diva top even had a transparent polo... But that wasn't the point!

Yan Lin's health was in check; the times were different. Helping the new generation of guardians, the generation of her granddaughter, alongside her friends and former guardian-colleagues brought her great contentment.

"This is not good, girls."- she summarized. "Queen Magana must have had a reason to pretend that her daughter is no more. A good reason, I'd say, to resort to such a horrible lie! And now that she's gone, not only is the realm of Coronia left vulnerable without it's Queen. The key to handling the crisis is also lost-"

"That's true. We looked everywhere for the Queen."- Taranee said, recalling the events from days ago. "She's nowhere to be seen. She has just evaporated! Obviously Phobos and Leonida have kidnapped her and taken her with them to...wherever they're off to now."

Everyone went silent for a moment. Yes, that was one of the worst things about their failed mission on Coronia. Phobos, Leonida and Cedric had fled, leaving their Lurdens behind, but now their location was once again unknown. They could be anywhere, for all the girls knew.

"Wait a sec, we know the reason why Leonida was banished and disowned by her family."- Irma interfered. "She's a crazy hoe! She was crazy nine years ago when she ran off with that Dua-freak, then she had a child with an arranged husband, which she named after Dua, who I wanna remind you, was a _worm_-"

"Graumer"- Taranee corrected her, but Irma went on unabashed:

"- a freakin' WORM! Literally, that blonde screwball! Then her husband disappeared under ''strange'' circumstances."- she coughed meaningfully at that. "And theeen, in a fit of rage over him confronting her about the husband's disappearance, she killed her own dad! That's what Andan said, right, it explains why Magana saw herself obliged to protect people from her crazy daughter. Therefore, she with the help of the Coronian sages, placed an ancient tribal curse on Leonida, meaning to keep her away from the Palace forever."

Irma was so sure in all her words, and she wasn't wrong to be. All that fit in the puzzle, it was just that...all the pieces to the puzzle were not yet exactly found. Yan Lin and Nerissa exchanged glances, which didn't go unnoticed by the water guardian:

"Okay, I never paid attention to body-language class, but I saw that! Enough with the mysterious glances, tell me what I was wrong about in my summarization!"

"No, you aren't wrong, Irma. That was what Andan said."- Nerissa wrapped a strand of hair around her finger.

"And? You said you were convinced he said the truth!"

"I am convinced, he did not hide a thing from us. But just because he spoke the truth- "

"- doesn't mean that he knows the _entire _truth."- Yan Lin finished wisely.

At this point, Irma just stared at the two former guardians with a sulk forming on her face.

"Huh, but- "

"No, they're right."- Will spoke up, stopping with her usual circles which she did during most of the meetings held in this basement. "We already underestimated the Coronians once. We should keep searching for more details before they surprise us unpleasantly another time."

Everyone present nodded at that, agreeing with the redhead's words. There was just one other big question that had to be discussed and Hay Lin took the initiative:

"OK, that we'll do, but what about the wedding? Should we still have it?"- she moved her big brown eyes from her grandmother to Will. "We can only guess what Phobos and Leonida's stance on that is, but what about Coronia? Coronia is now defenseless; if Elyon doesn't take charge, they'll be left without a Queen. The realm will wither!"

"Which was Magana's main concern because her Golden Spring water is running low as it is..."- Taranee pondered out loud. "Hey, just a thought, but now that the current Queen is down, what happens to her portion of water? If it's in the Sealed Room, which no one but her can enter- "

"No one can lay hands on it, not as long as she hasn't used the last drop of what she has taken back with her at the beginning of her reign. During the initiation hike to the spring. "- Nerissa replied firmly, but Taranee didn't look too convinced:

"Not even Leonida?"- she asked cautiously.

Everyone looked at her at that frightening thought.  
Irma scoffed. If it hadn't been time for Cornelia to take Killian to his regular check-ups, the water guardian would've had company to cast aspersion on that crazy princess with. Everyone else was talking of her as if she was a damsel in dismay. _Leonida this, Leonida that!_

"I...I'm not certain."- Nerissa confessed, somewhat irritated. " You can only be Queen once, and Leonida has already been dethroned once - "

"Well, Magana is the living rebuttal to your words, Nerissa. "- Taranee pushed her glasses back. "She rose to the throne a second time after her daughter, I'm guessing it has to do with the Golden Water. Didn't you say that a woman's reign over Coronia is forever ended once her last drop of water is used?"

"We can't know for sure; we've never had a mission on Coronia during our years as guardians."- Yan Lin tuned in.

"No, we haven't-"- Nerissa confirmed with knitted brows. "But- "

"But all your assumptions sound quite right. I think they're right, Nerissa -"

"Besides, Leonida isn't dead."- Will added as further evidence to their theory. "She was forced to leave the throne, but does that make her terminally dethroned? I would say no. And what if Magana is no more."- she voiced the thought that had crossed everyone's mind, but no one had had the strength to express in front of prince Andan. "If her mother did it before, then what stops Leonida from repeating it now? Now that the Queen is down. She can go to the Palace and enter the Sealed Room to take the remains of her mother's water."

"But that doesn't make any sense and it can't be what she and Phobos are aiming for."- Nerissa stood up from her place. She was angry and Will knew why. She hated not being able to read people's motives and currently, Phobos and his new girlfriend were giving her a hard time. "Magana's bottle is almost empty as it is. Besides, if the little bitch had wanted to, and if it was possible, she could've entered the Sealed Room and stolen Magana's water by now. Why wait six years?"

"Helloo, the curse."- Irma reminded her sourly. "The bitch turns into a bird whenever she goes near her relatives, _remember_?"

"Not at the engagement ceremony, she didn't."- Nerissa raised her chin victoriously, finally having found a strong enough argument to prevail upon the others with. "Please, she has found alternatives to diminish that curse by now! She'd never settle for a nearly empty bottle too! We need to find their _actual_ purpose so that we can lure them into a trap and defeat them! Not waste precious time on stupid guesses of what Leonida may or may not be able to do with her mother's _remains_."

The girls cringed at her blunt, but meaningful choice of words, and looked at each other. Will tightened her right fist and sighed before declaring:

"And that is what we'll do. But in order to uncover their plans, they need to do something, you know what I mean? Only a detected act by them: a clue of some sort, a trace to follow, can do us good. Because as for now, we have absolutely no idea what for or where to look. In the meantime, we should make sure that Elyon's wedding goes according to plan and be extra alert. Call me a bad prophet, but I have the dire feeling that the wedding is _exactly_ the occasion Phobos and Leonida are waiting for."

* * *

**_Somewhere far from the restaurant... _**

Tossing her honey-colored locks to one side, the young princess of Coronia took her new acquisition from the window still. The black rose looked so very vulnerable and helpless in the heavy glass container... It was what her treachery deserved! A fate suitable for someone as bad of a parent, as Magana had always been to her. Leonida took the rose in her hands and turned around only to find herself face to face with Phobos:

"Where are you going with that, Leonida?"- he asked somewhat suspiciously. His cold green eyes pierced through her.

"I was just coming to you...and I'm taking this to the cellar. Where no light shall ever be able to shine over her again. She'll suffer till the last days of her withering in darkness and loneliness. Just like she wanted _me_ to expire. I wish for her to have a taste of my misery!"

"Perfect idea."- Phobos smiled in an indurate manner. "Even if my black roses don't need the bother. The guardians never managed to discover each and every one of them to be able to help. One day even your mother shall become a part of my garden-; forgive me, _our_ garden. Once I recoup the crown and my palace, they'll be yours too."

Leonida smiled up at the man and left the glass container aside once again. She then proceeded to gently wrap her arms around his neck. For the first time, he didn't react oddly. He didn't twitch or pull back as he usually did. No, Phobos was always willing to touch her, but only when he decided on it. His good mood today was obvious. _Perfect_, Leonida smiled. _If you're contended already, what I'll inform you of now, will be sure to make you beatific._

"What is it, my squeeze? Is that smile on your face provoked by me alone, or is there something else on your mind? You said that you were on your way to me?"

The princess smiled even wider as she nodded:

"King Phobos, future king of the united dimensions, I am most thrilled to tell you that our plan has been put into action. Earlier today it was confirmed. Our joint treasure has been achieved."- her lips pursed over-dramatically as the man's, in front of her, formed a perfect 'O' . "All that is left now is for the very special date to come."

"Are you certain?!"- Phobos asked, nigh on breathless.

Leonida nodded happily and the man pulled her closer to himself yet again, almost unwittingly. He was in raptures.

"I told you that I know my odds best. I used to assure you that our plan is to be successful on time."

"That means that all which is left now is to patiently await my dear sister's wedding day. It will be a true rave!"

Cedric stood on the threshold of the darkened room, behind the half-closed door, listening to his master's dialogue with an impenetrable expression. What was wrong with him? He was the one who had brought them here. When the guardians attacked the Hidden Mansion, he had been awake to warn Phobos. He then led them through his secret passage back to the meta world, away from the annoying Coronia and the danger. Back to Meridian and that under every and each of their enemies' nose. In spite of the veil. In spite of the omnipotent Mage, guarding the realm with a hawk eye. The shapeshifter had every reason to celebrate that his prince's plans were developing according to his desire, yet that princess... That _darn bimbo_ was too out of place between them and he hated her. Knowing that for the next part of the master plan she was of particular importance, made Cedric frown. His thoughts suddenly brought him back to special times, many years ago...

_*FLASHBACK*_

_The glamorous, yet intimidating Palace, loomed over the young boy like a fortress of unknownness and danger. He was no older than 7 years old, but ever since he could remember, he had known only misfortune, fear and misery. Life was nothing but an agonizing way of coping. Existence. Did he actually need to exist under such conditions? Even at such young age, that thought had inevitably crossed his mind. If it wasn't for his mother's words of courage, the young boy would've long ago given up this existence. But after she had sacrificed her life for him to survive, in one of the many persecutions against them, two years ago, he had promised not to let her sacrifice be in vain._

_Cedric knew that his folk was hated, due to the many legends and events from the past, yet he couldn't understand why did his mother have enemies. She had never done anything bad to anyone and he had cried his eyes out upon seeing her lifeless body, hunted down by the anti-shifter hordes. These organizations were illegal on Meridian, his home planet of which he knew enough, even if young. The people who hunted his kind down like animals were criminals, but they weren't treated as such. The crown had no interest in taking measures against these encroachments, simply because all shapeshifters were nothing but barbaric mongrels in their eyes.  
And even though queen Weira was a seemingly diplomatic ruler, who was famous for uniting many different races in harmony under her reign, she would hardly ever stand up for mutt-shapeshifters publicly. That would undoubtedly crap her good name in the Metaworld and the neighbor kingdoms, which venerated and respected her.  
But searching help from the royals was hardly the reason the young boy had come to the palace. His mother had raised him up to be intelligent enough, even at such an early age, and he knew that his chances with that were close to none. He was here with a different mission. Tired of running, hunger and his own fear, the young shifter had come to the castle to look for a person. A person who, as he knew from his mother, worked here, and even lived nearby._

_Cedric turned around to look behind himself one last time just to make sure that no one was following him. Due to his lifestyle, if his days could be considered a part of a lifestyle at all, he had gotten used to the clinging paranoia._

_When he quietly sneaked in the royal gardens, the child knew that he had to be especially careful. He crept in the shadows and behind the many beautiful hedges and other plants, heedful of the fact that the royal gardens were heavily guarded._

_Even though he had spent his life in the forests, Cedric couldn't help being fascinated with all the beautiful flora that surrounded these gardens. The plants around were something more special- exotic and majestic species, that he had never seen before, and were hence catching his eye. _

_He could gawk at the palace and its surroundings with days, but in the back of his head, the young shifter knew why he had come here. He pulled the little golden locket from underneath his loosed tunic; the golden locket necklace was the only thing his mother had left him and it contained the portrait of his now goal. A small portrait of the man he had come to find. Insightful sensational blue eyes, very similar to his, blond hair and a slightly darker beard. The artist, whoever he was, had done an excellent job because Cedric immediately recognized the man once he saw him in the distance.  
In the distance, coming out of one side tower, the live version of the man in his locket necklace was making his way through the gardens with arms loaded with books and papers._

_For a minute Cedric hesitated, stopping by one big shrub of exotic blue flowers. Yes, he had found the man he had come to look for, quite fast, but it wasn't as easy for him to just run to him and talk to him. He had postponed this meeting ever since he could remember, strictly prohibited by his mother to ever come to the palace. Indeed, Ophelia had adjured her son to never come in contact with the Escanors and their branches. When she had been alive, she had never allowed him to even think of coming out of their safe forests, let alone come here to look for this man. God was her witness, the shapeshifter had only shared the story of the locket with her offspring, because she had wanted to be honest...Well, yes, their' safe' forests, had turned out to be less safe than she had thought, after all, and hence she was no more. _

_For a year, Cedric had fought with himself and his instincts to keep the word he had given to his mother. A year of tears and misery... But for God's sake, he was just a child! And the man from the locket could be his only and last chance to survive in the cruel meta world. Willing to take the risk, the little boy tightened his fists and headed towards the man, who had stopped to pick up a fallen book by the roses._

_The setting sun bathed the royal gardens in a dark amber light as Cedric stood close behind the man. His heart was about to jump out of his chest any minute now. Everything had happened so fast... first he had lost his mother and now, a year later, having seen life as no child should ever see it, he was standing here. In the banned area, right next to the man who he was adjured to never come in front of. No, Ophelia had to be mistaken. Maybe, just maybe this man was going to prove her expectations wrong. Cedric gulped. He could at least, hope and pray __for__ it:_

_"Good evening, sir. May I ask you something?"_

_The man almost jumped in his place, startled by the child's voice. He turned around and looked down at the boy, giving his tattered clothes a brief critical look before opening his mouth:_

_"I suppose that you may since you're already here. You do know that you mustn't come to the royal palace, don't you, village boy? Make the question fast and be on your way."_

_Cedric winced at that, but still looked up and met the man's eyes decisively. These eyes that his resembled, so very much..._

_"Are you Lord Cedric, sir? Lord Cedric, ex-lieutenant of the Escanor army? You had to give up your place on the battlefield upon suffering a serious injury on your left leg -"_

_"Yes, that would be me."- Lord Cedric interrupted the boy a little sharply, looking down at his numb leg and then back at the child. "And who are you, boy? Why are all these questions?"_

_"My name is also Cedric, sir. I am your son."_

_The color left the man's face, but his frown deepened. Cedric looked up at him, extremely unnerved as the Lord barked:_

_"I have no son, Cedric."- he said firmly. "Just because we share a name and, I agree, a few similar features of resemblance, doesn't mean we are related. I'm sorry, you should leave." _

_Cedric felt his heart race even faster. His father had denied him, yet he was being quite respectful and well-mannered. Maybe he could still prove the truth to him. Maybe once Lord Cedric saw his locket, he would realize the truth and accept him. Maybe he was going to envelop him in a tight hug and all his misery would end. With trembling hands, the boy pulled the chain out of his shirt:_

_"Who gave you this?!"- the man hissed coldly, opening the locket. His voice was suddenly devoid of all its respect and even the last tinge of warmth. His eyes burned the little boy from head to toe, and Cedric felt even shorter in front of the tall lord. "I asked you a question, peasant boy. Where do you have this from?! Who sends you here?"_

_"I h-have it from my mother. She gave me this locket when I was younger, but it has been hers ever since you and her- "_

_"I have never had anything to do with your goddamn mother!"- Lord Cedric spat and held the young boy's collar roughly. "Hear me out very carefully, this time I will spare you. You will go from here and you will never come back. If you do, I will personally execute you, do I stand clear?"_

_Cedric gasped as his father pushed him roughly, and he found himself on the ground. No, it wasn't the hug he had prayed for. But it still wasn't what his mother had said it'd be. Cedric got back on his feet and tried to stop the tears from running down his cheeks:_

_"C-can I, can I have my locket, please?"_

_He dreaded asking once his father turned around abruptly and took his collar once again- this time he lifted the boy in the air and brought him close to his enraged face. Cedric winced but didn't fight back as he glanced at the man's angry eyeballs that looked like they'd pop out of their sockets._

_"THIS LOCKET DOESN'T BELONG TO YOU. THIS LOCKET CONTAINS MY PICTURE WHICH ISN'T MEANT TO BE WITH YOU, LITTLE BASTARD. YOU'RE NOT MY SON!"- and Lord Cedric tore the golden chain into two parts with his free hand, throwing it's remains away._

_Then he aimed all his anger at his terrified son, shaking him as he spoke:_

_"If you don't leave here at once, I'll lose my temper, you reptile. I don't understand why Ophelia kept you or why she thought that you should have that locket, but if you or she ever dares to show your scale-covered nuzzles, here again, you will pay with your lives!"_

_"Ophelia is dead."- Cedric announced bitterly after his father threw him down once again and proceeded to walk away. _

_The boy was back on his feet in the matter of seconds, and his tears were running down. This time- freely. His mother had been right about this man, after all, the young shifter sobbed miserably as he recalled her words. Oh, if only she was still around to look out for him and be by his side..._

_Cedric-Senior had stopped in his tracks upon hearing the boy's last statement. For a second, he looked frozen, but then, he turned around in all his rage and spat:_

_"I'm delighted to hear that! Why not join her in her fate and free the kingdom of one more evil, slimy reptile, such as yourself! Worthless creature!"_

_Cedric was at a loss of words. He had heard similar insults already, but coming from the lord, they stung at an entirely different level._

_His world had crushed down long ago, but at that moment, he felt all the pain once more. It was when he realized that he was an orphan now and that he had been an orphan ever since Ophelia had died. This man, the man from the locket, which he didn't even want to take back anymore, wasn't his father. He couldn't be. He was just another human, just like those who had killed his mother..._

_Cedric expected for the ex-lieutenant to throw him out of the royal gardens, but that never happened. It seemed that Lord Cedric-senior was in a hurry to just get away from him and forget about the unpleasant meeting._

_His son wanted the same, but he knew that he couldn't. He would never forget this day. His father wishing him death would remain with him until that happened- until he actually dies, miserable and alone as he was, just like in the past one year..._

_The young boy had lost track of time as he lay down on the meadow in the royal gardens, where his father had nearly buried him. Cedric was tired, hungry, and totally exhausted- both physically and mentally. When he felt someone approach him, he expected everything- the royal guards coming to send him out of the palace's premises or maybe Lord Cedric was coming to fulfill his threats, angry that he was still here. He had expected death itself to come and pick him up._

_But he hadn't expected to see a boy his age, with long fair hair and bright green eyes, once he dared look up. The boy offered him a hand, which Cedric only looked at timidly, before curling into a ball._

_"It's quite fine for you to take my hand, I won't bite, I promise."- the other boy said in a distinct voice. "My name is Phobos and I'm going to help you. I saw everything."_

_Cedric just blinked and examined the other kid once again._

_"Y-you, you're the prince."- he realized, passing his big, scared eyes over Phobos's royal sky-blue garments. "I...Apologize for coming here, your Highness. I will leave at once, please don't call the guards-"_

_"I told you not to be afraid."- Phobos almost snapped. "Yes, I'm the prince and your name is Cedric. Lord Cedric's son, correct? As I told you, I heard everything and I will help you."_

_Cedric, who was now back on his feet, didn't look too convinced but was too dumbfounded to think on his words:_

_"Once you learn what my nature is, you'll be the one who'll be afraid. My father doesn't love me and nothing can be done...He thinks that I'm a monster, as will you when you see me transform, Prince Phobos -"_

_"A monster you say."- Phobos repeated, but instead of fear, his eyes shone with curiosity. "What kind of monster? A wanderer? A vampiric creature? A mogriff? A shape-shifter?"_

_"Yes...I'm a shifter..."- Cedric almost whispered under his nose. "But...doesn't my nature and kind frighten you, Prince Phobos?"_

_"Nonsense!"- Phobos waved his own hand and then proceeded to take the other boy's hand. Cedric was almost shocked. "Come with me, I will show you my favorite maze in the gardens. Tell me, Cedric, what do you turn into? A reptile, right, that was what Lord Cedric said. What kind of reptile?"_

_Cedric blinked again. He had just been disowned by his father, and now he was listening to the prince himself, who spoke of creatures so freely. He was overwhelmed, but at the same time, too astounded by the fact that a boy his age wanted to talk to him and wasn't even scared to touch him._

_"It is hard to explain, your Highness. Some would call me a snake when I transform. But I'm really bigger and more dangerous than any snake...if I need to defend myself, of course."- he added timidly, looking at the prince who was still pulling him by the hand._

_"That sounds wondrous, Cedric!"_

_They had made their way to the maze of hedges and roses Phobos had spoken of, and where they could really talk in private, as astonishing as that was to the young shifter.  
Phobos was his age, maybe a year older, but he was as advanced as him in his speech and intelligence, if not even more. Cedric assumed that was normal for a monarch, who most probably had dozens of lessons with the best teaches and masters which the kingdom had to offer.  
But then why in God's name wasn't he frightened of him? Every child in their right mind would freak out when they would learn of the blond boy's abilities. Unless of course..._

_"You should relax, Cedric. I can sense your fear. Believe me when I promise that I will help you with your father."- Phobos stated importantly. He sat opposite of the other boy and looked at him with his remarkable eyes. "Don't look at me like that; believe it or not, I know what it's like to have a father who doesn't love you."_

_"You do?!"- Cedric was shocked to hear that, but the other kid just huffed haughtily._

_"Yes, but that's not so important. What is important, is that I don't have many friends, and you I find you perfect for the position. You shouldn't refuse me, I'm royalty!"_

_"Wait...you want me to be your friend?"- Cedric still couldn't believe it. _

_Phobos nodded with a growing grin on his lips._

_"But...why?"_

_All the trauma he had gone through just recently, was erased. Someone wanted to be his friend. Someone was willing to accept him! He had never experienced such a thing before, and it was definitely overwhelming. In a fine way._

_"Because you're different. Just like me."-the prince answered sincerely. "And one day, you'll be powerful."- he added. "When I rule over Meridian, I will need someone like you on my side. I can tell!"_

_"END OF FLASHBACK*_

"Lord Cedric!"- Phobos's voice brought him back to reality. Cedric twitched and showed himself behind the door. "What are you doing there? Do come here! I want to share the good news with you!"

"Eavesdropping, as usual."- Leonida murmured under her nose and threw an annoyed glance at the lord, as she and the prince parted.

Cedric stepped in the room with his thoughts in a storm and was almost caught by surprise when the other man pulled him in a hug. He was definitely elated.

"Cedric, my plans are arranging just like I expected them to! Leonida just shared the news with me, and I am impatient to share them with you! The guardians' downfall and my sister's end are closer than ever! I'm going to be a _father_, Cedric. Open up a bottle of the best wine! We ought to celebrate!"

Cedric smiled and patted the other man's back as he held him. His eyes then fell on Leonida, watching them from the ledge of the window with a smug face and arms crossed on her chest.

"Such great news, my prince. I'm so very delighted to hear that. Accept my most cordial congratulations!"- the shapeshifter said, even though, deep in his heart, he knew that he was never going to be able to share the other man's elation.

* * *

**A/N: So, for the name of Cedric's mother, I do remember I read someone name her 'Ophelia' in their stories, here in the archive. I can't recall when or where, but I've seen it and I just felt that it's very suitable. If you read this, respected fellow-author/reader, I hope that you won't mind. All credit for that goes to you. :D**  
**Soo, that being said, I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter. I'm looking forward to hearing from you and your opinions. What did you think of the newest twist? There are many more to come, so stay tuned!**

**Much love, stay blessed and healthy. I'll see you in chapter 13! :) **


	13. Fire and Ice

**ARC. 2**

_"NOBLE HUNT"  
_

_"There comes a time when even the heavy crown can no longer protect the evil. The arrows of the peasants spill even the blue blood, and when those who took power in their hands to abuse it are caught, their punishment can only be lifted by the fruit of sin …"_

* * *

**Chapter 13: Fire and Ice  
**

_"__The purest of hearts are prone to love truly... Fire and Ice, beautiful isn't it?_

* * *

"My pain and despair were healed long ago. I survived the trauma, even though I could never be sure that it will be alright. I don't need negative emotions to serve me in order to be victorious any longer. But if this is so important to you, then I suppose that we could help Ember and Tridart make sense of their lives."

"You did promise to make good use of the Heart of Nimbus. You can keep your word by following Halinor's idea."

Nerissa rolled her eyes but didn't object. She could concede a good idea when she heard it. As Will leaned back in her big armchair, Nerissa rolled the sleeves of her diaphanous burgundy polo up.

She, the redhead and Cornelia had arrived in Fadden Hills to pay Halinor and Kadma a visit and realize the older blonde's idea.

Kadma's grand lobby, resembling a large greenhouse full of thousands of plants and expensive furniture, offered them the perfect business space where they could complete the act which the ex-fire guardian had thought of. Nerissa tossed her hair back lazily, as she watched the two Knights of Destruction lining up and looking daggers at her. _How very lovely_, she thought with a sneer. Near them, Cornelia and Kadma, both dressed in pink hues for the day, were also ready for action.

"Everything created in the universe carries its universal code forever, even after an eventual death."- Halinor narrated. Her plan was quite complicated and laborious, and the others had to listen to every word. "Quintessence, as the energy of life, works quite well with the creation of sentient beings of all kinds and materials- such are Ember and Traidart. By interjecting her emotions in the entire deal, however, turning them into energy vampires of their own sort, Nerissa not only animated but _ensouled_ them. The soul is indestructible under normal conditions, which is why the essence of the two knights remains in Weira's jewel. That same essence used to fuel our elemental powers during the time in which we were Nerissa's thralls, and therefore a connection was established between us and the knights' souls. Thanks to that, Kadma managed to reincarnate the knights, the only two created from pure nature forces- unlike the transmuted Matt and Huggles, who later became regents. Kadma bound Ember and Tridart's natural substance to the Heart of Zamballa with her powers of Earth; Ember's seismic entity and Tridart's glacier body are both born from Earth... Anyhow, Kadma's connection to their souls and the essence of their powers gave her access to their universal codes. Ember and Tridart exist, but they were unable to live properly. Up until now. Nerissa, you now possess the Heart of Nimbus, a mystic jewel that can channel the ultimate powers of your element and make them stronger. We don't have to keep the two of them in the Heart of Zamballa any longer!"- Halinor's voice grew with enthusiasm to the point where she was out of breath. Her speech had indeed been long and hard to deliver. "With your new Heart, you can - "

"I can polarize their universal codes and thereby bound them to mortal plain."- the black-haired woman finished her sentence for her. "Very well, Halinor. I understand your idea and I'm willing to carry it out."- Nerissa summoned her Heart, ready for action.

"Splendid!"- the ex-guardian had taken a sip of water to help her dry throat and was ready to continue: "But in order for the metamorphose to be complete, we have to eliminate their negative emotion dependence. For this I'll ask you, Will, to come behind the knights and use the Heart of Kandrakar to open up their outer shells. The Heart of Kandrakar is a universal skeleton key and it can open much more than folds and portals, as you know."

Will nodded with understanding and did as the blonde said. The pink energy of the Heart bathed Ember and Tridart in its lights.

"Cornelia, you are needed close to Tridart. Now that Will has opened his outer shell, you'll need to concentrate all your confidence at his core. That will fill up his hunger for fear and desperation. Kadma's healing powers will do the same with Ember. She'll heal the pain which Ember needs to feel from the others in order to function. I will stand between the two of them with the Heart of Zamballa which they're bound to."- the former and the current Earth guardians did as Halinor instructed.

"Nerissa will aim her polarizing Quintessence at it, and it will reflect it to their souls. By doing all this, we will be able to eliminate their negative emotion functioning, undo their thrall to the Heart of Zamballa and bound them to the mortal plain at the same time!"

"Wait a minute."- Ember yelped focusing her eyes on her former mistress. "We're supposed to rely on _her_ to help us? Ha! I doubt that she will! She's egotistical and vile!"

"That's right."- Tridart joined in. "She already destroyed us once, to achieve her own goals. Who says that she won't do the same now?"

And they glared hatefully at the former Heart keeper, remembering each and every moment of their pain during the time she had disfigured them in order to use their essence and magic, to equip her team of guardians. But Nerissa replied to their glares with an unimpressed glance. They were the _last_ thing to weigh on her conscience.

"I say it, Tridart!"- Halinor looked at the iceman strictly. "I guarantee it, actually! Ember, I promised to help you and your love. I said that I'd help you get a chance, as everyone deserves that, and I'm keeping my word, even if it took me some time."

"Nerissa won't turn you back into natural forces this time. She'll give you human identities."- Kadma announced from behind. "Besides, you don't have the word. You're still obliged by my power and I say that this ritual will be carried out."

The knights went silent but Nerissa had a thing to say before beginning the said ritual:

"Well, the two of you were never meant to exist as anything more than my servants, really, but I guess that if the situation calls for it... You will receive a change of faith. I'd have never guessed that one day I'd be doing this, but you know what they say...the life of a good, noble, _non-villain_ woman is _full_ of surprises-"

Will rolled her eyes at the cheesiness, but the brunette had already started her spell. Everyone stood in their positions- the polarization emerged from the Heart of Nimbus and reflected into that of Zamballa, just like Halinor had said it would. In the behind, the Heart of Kandrakar was doing its service of a skeleton key and Kadma and Cornelia's powers were remedying the knight's cores.

The powerful energy connection between them all, at one point, seemed too overwhelming, and then everything went black. After a minute which felt like eternity, all five women found themselves on the ground. The ritual was over -

"One of you wasn't concentrated enough and I'm ready to bet that it was you, Will."- Nerissa growled, standing up from the tiled floor. "You're just too absent-minded, you can't do a single thing right!"

"Hey, it wasn't me, OK! I was doing what I was supposed to! Why must you always criticize me? - "

"Oh please, we all felt that the loss of balance coming from your side of the pentagram!"

"Do not quarrel, look up! The collaboration spell was successful!"- Halinor cried happily. "And it's all that matters."

"That's right, it's the final result that is important."- Kadma agreed with a smile as she and the others observed the fruits of their efforts.

"Hey...but it actually worked. From the first time."- Cornelia noted. "Wow, I'm impressed with us."- she stated, as Halinor placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Tridart! I-I can finally touch you without melting your skin!"- the brand-new human version of Ember exclaimed, running her hand over Tridart's freshly created fair skin.

"And I can kiss you without hurting you to steam, my love!"- the man chuckled, running his fingers through his lover's red hair. "We...we're human beings, Ember. We can start a new life! Thank you, mistress! Thanks to all of you. You all helped an injustice be fixed!"

"It's what guardians do."- Will smiled as the two former knights leaped into each other's arms in front of them.

"And don't forget that the merit us yours too."- Halinor was holding Nerissa under the arm as she was voicing these thoughts: "Positive and negative emotions always fight to out-balance each other, but love is the one and only main emotion, strongest of them all. Nothing can prevail over true love, and that is not just a cliché. Not even pain and fear hold a candle to that... Your love is a true proof of that- today it gifted you with human existence. Love truly is the ultimate key to everything."- the blonde finished as she looked at her black-haired friend's green eyes and smile with endearment.

"Oh, old friend. Your wits are as dry as ever."- Nerissa chuckled in response. "But, in reality, they fit the bill for me, quite well. Look at them. Fire and ice...beautiful, isn't it?"

* * *

**_Meridian..._**

"So, your feelings for me...they were a farce too."- Elyon looked down at her feet. She was fighting to hide the tears that were stinging, willing to roll down her face. "Our marriage will be a political manner and that is that. I was a fool to believe that we could fall in love. We're _strangers_."

Upon finally gathering to talk about things with their real names, all her illusionary dreams had been crushed. Andan was honest with her just now, not back when he had been expressing his desire to meet her again... He and his people simply needed her to unite them and rule over them, while her people needed his riches. That was the truth and it hurt; it was so blunt and harsh, but Elyon was slowly losing hope that it'd ever change, anyway.

"No, Elyon, you're wrong."- Andan seemed to have finally found the words he had been looking for. Ever since they had met up in the Meridian Palace, he had been primarily silent. But now he was desperate to save the young woman's good opinion of him. He didn't want her to make such pessimistic conclusions...  
"We, we're strangers that are in a need of this union between our kingdoms, but- "

"No, Andan, I'm not wrong."- Elyon interrupted him with annoyance. "All my life I've accepted life as a fairytale, but it isn't! Even after I discovered that I was the heir to the throne of a totally new world, I never got to experience the princessy things, I never got a castle on a cloud or a prince Charming, because these things are ridiculous, and I'm just stupid to even hope for them! I...I'm just slowly starting to accept that my life is meant to be nothing but a deprived of happiness experience, devoted to the better good of my people- "

"I can be your prince if you'd give me a chance."- the Coronian man reached and placed his hand on top of hers timidly. "I don't know if I'm charming, but I...; I believe that I can be caring."

Elyon looked up at him with a sob. She must have been some miserable sight since he dared approach her without asking first. But she kind of liked it. That was what a normal boy would do, but how was she to ask for a normal boy, since she was not a normal girl?

"But you were forced into this union by your mother."- she shook her head. "Just like me in the beginning. These displays of affection and interest on such short notice, you mean to tell me that they weren't staged? Come on, Andan, I'm no genius, but I'm not a fool either."

The prince sighed and looked down in his turn.

"Elyon, I knew that the truth about my people and my sister terrorizing us will bring up many problems and misunderstandings. My mother was also aware, hence we tried to keep Leonida's truth veiled...But after all, that happened, after Leonida took mother away from me, I don't want her to take away my chance with you too. Yes, our marriage is of political interest, but I, just like you, share your deeper ideas about it. I didn't lie to you about my intentions-"

"But we're not in love."- Elyon pointed out. "Do you actually believe that time will help us with that? Have love? Will that be true love, Andan?"

"Love has many different manifestations."- Andan pondered out loud meeting the woman's eyes. "Our ancestors were also introduced to their partner in life and they needed time to start loving them, didn't they?"

_I'm not sure about that anymore_, Elyon thought bitterly, but he went on:

"I'm ashamed to confess this, but even though I'm to enter the 23rd year of my life, you're the first woman I've encountered more closely, Elyon."

"What?"- the Queen exclaimed. "But...you were all so romantic and stuff! You captured the essence of a true courtier!"

Andan chuckled sheepishly and scratched the back of his head:

"You think so, really? I've acquired all my knowledge of love from the love and adventure books. But I have no experience of my own. Look, Elyon, it appears that I and you want the same thing. We both want to turn this political alliance into something more and I believe that is possible with the course of time. If there is even a little chemistry between us."

Elyon observed the man's self-consciousness and face as he spoke and couldn't help feel a little spark inside of herself. She blushed:

"I guess. I think you're quite debonair and your personality is also nice. If you find me pretty..."- the young woman added hopefully.

"Of course, Elyon. Why underestimate yourself, you're a beautiful young woman which any man would be delighted to marry."- the prince exclaimed sincerely. "I'm merely honored to have the chance to be that man. "

"You're not only saying that because I'm the Queen around here, are you."-she joked, even though her insecurity deprived her words of any comical tinge.

"Absolutely not. The future of our relationship depends on many things, but don't underestimate your appearance. That has nothing to do with it. You're truly beautiful."

Elyon blushed even more. Whether it was this man's charm or incredibly well-taught manners, his words sank into her mind and she believed him. She _chose_ to believe him.

Before Meridian, she had been pretty confident, even if being Cornelia Hale's best-friend meant being second in everything. Especially appearance. Nevertheless, Elyon had had a fair amount of confidence. She knew she was cute, but Cornelia had always been the 'hot' one. The one which most of the boys noticed. That didn't mean that Elyon didn't have her own crushes and boys that were into her, even if she had obviously never had a chance with Caleb, who she had once secretly liked.

But all the events in the young Queen's life ever since she had discovered her true identity, had diminished most of her self-love and high self-opinion. Andan's heartfelt compliment definitely made her feel good.

"Now that your brother and my sister have joined hands against us, and possibly the Universe, we have more than one reason to stay stronger and work on our own relationship, correct?"- the prince took her hand in his own. "I do not want to affright you, tell me if I am taking too big steps on the way to that. If you'd like for us to starts as friends, we could do just that. Your wish will be what we will do-

"No, Andan, I don't want to waste time on us being friends."- Elyon said with a confident smile. She had a sudden rush of confidence and riskiness overflow in her body, and she felt like she had to do something. She had to make a statement. "We're engaged. We're soon going to be husband and wife, and I want to get to know my husband the fastest and warmest way there is."

Andan's eyes widened at first, when the straw-blonde sealed her lips on top of his, sinking into his embrace, but he quickly overmastered his racing heartbeat and wrapped his arms around her petite body frame.

The royal saloon was to witness the premature rapprochement of two royal figures. Two future spouses, influenced by each other's words in the heat of the moment. Their bodies, temples of their own insecurities and life difficulties, would take a new path, merging into one.

* * *

**_Two days later_**

Trying out dresses for her big day was more exhausting than Elyon had ever imagined it.  
_At this rate, I might as well just let Hay Lin design my gown just to get this over with_, the young Queen thought tiredly as she took yet another dress off. Nevertheless, she had decided that she should get that done as soon as possible. After all, she was getting married very soon.

The young woman was tired, but her mother, Captain Miriadel, did not give up easily. She seemed to be able to browse new and new models all day long; her daughter had never before seen this typically feminine side of hers. And the Meridian bridal gowns were all odd... Even after ten years, Meridian's fashion was not Elyon's favorite. And how could it be, when Cornelia was constantly spoiling her with different duds from Earth. As teenagers, they had been crazy about clothes and fashions, and now that Elyon was living on Meridian, her rare touch to these stylish pieces that she remembered from the Earth stores, was through such gestures.

"I'm not too sure about this one."- the Queen commented under her nose, checking herself out in the big mirror. "It's too... Maria Antoinette-ish."

"I think it's wonderful, Elyon. It suits you."- Miriadel cooed with needless sentiment as she clasped hеr hands close to her face, looking at her daughter in her large, yellow, and white dress. She was a bride to0be already...Time was just so fast to go by...

"I don't know, mom."- Elyon took another look at herself from the back. "More or less, it's not so much about the dress."

"Then what is it, my Princess? Is it your brother? -"

"Never mind, Phobos. He won't be able to defeat all of us. We have worthy allies. It's not this dress either. I just wish Galg..."

"Oh, quite contrary, I think it's exactly that _rag_ that you should lose. I got married in a better dress and that was 28 years ago." -Elyon and her mother turned around to observe the owner of the sultry, but mocking voice enter the fitting room.

"Kind and humble as always. What do you want now, Nerissa?"- Miriadel folded her arms coldly.

"Well, can't I help Queen chose a better dress for her wedding? After all, I seem to be the only one with fashion sense around here."- and Nerissa flaunted her newest set of robes- a pale gray sequined suit with long bell sleeves, the usual neckline, strapped with black leather, and black leather leggings to match. The trail of her top reached to the ground, like that of a royal dress, and her legs looked even longer in the high heel boots.  
Her ample, yet fit chest, she had also adorned with a heavy platinum pendant inlaid with black gems. "Medival Meridian fashions, Mage-worthy attire, yet keeping it classy. You like, Miriadel?" the sorceress met the other woman's glance with a playful tinge. "I could get you some new clothes too. After all, yours have always been a tad too _masculine_, haven't they? Perhaps you're not exactly the right person to choose Elyon's wedding gown-"

"Nerissa, sometimes I think that you only come here to annoy us."- Elyon said in an unimpressed fashion. "Get this over with, stay true to the routine, blame me for Phobos's escape, and get on your way. I'm sure you have much more interesting things to do than choose me a wedding dress."

Nerissa smiled and circled the young monarch on her way to pour herself a glass of water from the big jug on the table nearby.

"Acknowledging your guilt is a commendable achievement, yet it will hardly help bring your dear brother down. Same applies for attending your wedding looking like Miriadel."- The Mage didn't miss the chance to taunt them again as she casually leaned against the table. "Ahh, I can still remember her wedding. It has been quite some time now, hasn't it, Miriadel? Even though I still remember that you looked like a powdered pumpkin with a veil on top."- and she burst out laughing in a bell, ladylike laughter, beautiful and almost innocent.

"You can go now, Nerissa, really."- Elyon said for the third time. "We will manage on our own. Go giggle over something else!"

"Let her be, your Highness."- Miriadel shook her head as she put one of the many dresses scattered around back on a hanger. "If the Mage would like to sit here and act immature, let her be."

"I act immature? And you -"

"Mom, actually, you're right. We shouldn't pay attention to the Mage's stage performances. She's so used to being an actress in this Palace that she must miss the sensation playing_ roles_ used to bring her. That's why she makes up for it with such currish etudes. However, I'd like to have a word with her in private. Do you mind?"- Elyon's words had both Nerissa and Miriadel surprised.

Miriadel seemed more perplexed, but she didn't hesitate. She smiled at her daughter and headed for the exit:

"Of course, my princess. I'll go out to meet your father then. He's traveling back from Touris Filney."

The captain exited the fitting room without saying anything more. Nerissa narrowed her eyes at the girl in a poorly designed wedding dress. She had tried to insult her with her lame words, implying about her days as Trill and the Mage, but it was as pointless, as reasoning with Elyon was always like:

"Well, I did want to tell you something, therefore I suppose that you did well by sending her away. We don't need her, even bigger than yours, _ignorance_ to stand in the way- "

"Let me ask you, Nerissa."- Elyon interrupted the ex-guardian harshly. "If you despise my adoptive parents so much, why choose them to adopt me in the first place? You were Mage at the time, you could have chosen another couple to take me to Heatherfield."

"See, I know you're not the sharpest tool in the box, but I still thought you'd know that back when your brother was about to kill you for the _first time_, the rebellion and our allies didn't have the luxury of choice."

The Queen crossed her arms on her chest and groaned quietly.

"Besides, I do not despise your mother, it's not her fault that she is as narrow-minded as a-"

"Listen, I didn't ask to be left alone with you to listen to your insults."- the straw-blonde cut her off. "I wanted to make a few things clear to you. I spent time with Andan over the last days. We're already closer than you assume."

Nerissa raised her eyebrows at that bold statement, but Elyon went on, completely determined to make the statement complete:

"I learned of what you've done behind my back. Not only did you go to Coronia and create more problems than needed, but you also dared blackmail Andan and his mother that if they don't obey you, you're going to cancel the marriage between me and him-"

"Well, of course, after all, I was striving to uncover the truth, which I did-"

"No."- Elyon stopped her again, her voice ice-cold. "That was not the right way to seek the truth. You violated each and every right which Caleb fought for you to have. You can't take decisions on my behalf, Nerissa, especially not regarding my marriage! If that repeats itself again, you'll face _severe_ sanctions."

The ex-guardian's face flushed with anger and outrage. How dare she? How dare she even think of blaming anything on her! Nerissa clenched her teeth, glaring hatefully at the young woman, but Elyon didn't leave her an opportunity to snap:

"No. Don't say anything! The question is closed."

Nerissa swallowed her words down, not only because of the Escanor woman's statement but because she got immersed in her own thoughts. A particular conversation, she and her friends had had in Fadden Hills two days ago, irritated her memories:

**_*FLASHBACK*_**

_"I was thinking. I was thinking really hard, lately, Elyon and her sorrow have been haunting my dreams."- Halinor began, wrapping her pale orange shawl around her shoulders. She pretended she didn't see her friend and former leader roll her eyes to the back of her head and vice versa at that statement. "She needs help and maybe we can help her."_

_Kadma came back with three cups of green tea just on time. She met Nerissa's eyes and her tongue-in-cheek expression aimed at the blonde's speech. The queen shrugged barely noticeably before taking her place in the sitting area._

_"...I know that both of you have a bad opinion of Elyon, but this is what we, as former guardians and fully mature adults, should do. When we think that we might be able to help someone, we should be giving it a try. Just like we helped Tridart and Ember earlier today- "_

_"Halinor."- Nerissa interrupted the ex-fire guardian softly. "You don't need to prevaricate, old friend. You can just say what's on your mind, your ideas seem to be quite efficient lately. We're all ears."_

_Halinor smiled amiably before going on:_

_"You see, Elyon's main concerns and turmoil come from her nanny's condition. She feels responsible for so many events that took place over the last two months, but Galgheita's near-death experience prevails for sure. Before you get angry, Nerissa, I was there. I was there when Phobos struck her and I saw Elyon's inner breakdown at that sight. The nanny is a very important person to her and I just know that in order for the young queen to be able to take part in overcoming Phobos and his allies, she needs to be healed. Phobos' spell on Galgheita has to be undone. See, I thought about that. I studied ways for that to be achieved, but it was quite challenging because of two main reasons. First, the exact spell which Phobos used remains unknown, and second, the effect which Elyon achieved by altering it with her powers, is also impossible to ascertain. A 'permanent sleep-like state' can be caused by so many curses and spells, but the spell laid on Galgheita is much more complicated than any of them. Because it was created by the dark and light magic of two Meridian Crown representatives!"_

_"The might of something which has a part of Meridian's light and Meridian's darkness in itself can be challenging, indeed."- Kadma agreed, deep in thoughts. "But I don't understand how did the nanny survive long enough for Elyon's magic to grab a hold of her if Phobos wanted to kill her. Fatal spells are usually lightning-like. Is Elyon's power truly grown to be so spirituous?"_

_"Please!"- Nerissa crossed her arms in a mistrustful manner. "The Whelp hardly even knows her own powers! Much like the guardians, she hasn't been practicing enough over the last ten years. If they've been lagging behind, then she has failed miserably in mastering her own power! If you ask me, she uses but a tenth of the entire might of the Heart of Meridian which is unfortunately stored in her feeble body!"_

_"If one's mastering of powers could be done by just meditating, then Oracle's methods would've been commendable."- Kadma didn't miss the chance to spit poison at Himerish's name. When it got to holding grudges against him, she and Nerissa had always been unanimous._

_"That's what I'm saying."- her striking green eyes narrowed barely noticeably as she brought the tea to her lips. "I think that it was a miracle she even managed to do something to save the old kangaroo."_

_"No."- Halinor shook her head. She had ghosted her friends for a few minutes, going through her own thoughts another time. "I have high hopes that what I'm to suggest will remedy the situation! I totally forgot, Phobos didn't aim at Galgheita, he aimed at the coat of arms on the wall, she just got in the way of his spell. Therefore, the spell was no deadly curse at all- "_

_"It was most probably a mere destructive spell."- Kadma interrupted her. "Which explains what Elyon did, she- "_

_"She channeled the destruction before it could unfold entirely, without even realizing. These spells react differently with a living body than they do with inanimate objects. The whelp's own magic locked that of Phobos inside Galgheita."- Nerissa finished as her and her friends' eyes met._

_Their knowledge of magic sure was astonishing. But after so many years it was only logical. Each of them could add something to help build the puzzle and the others would know what it meant. That was why they were the original guardians, as Nerissa often told herself in moments of anger over the new generation and their countless mistakes..._

_"That's what the Oracle meant by "a sleep-like state."- Halinor's enthusiasm was growing with every next word. The entire puzzle was put together. She knew the answer to Elyon's questions and the solution to her problems! "Why he said that she isn't dead 'for good'. A locked-in destruction in any body is what all these sleeping curses from all over the Universe are based on! Elyon and Phobos's magic collided and unwittingly created something which I can think of only one way to salve..."_

_"Well that is going to be an interesting search"- Kadma exclaimed and crossed her arms on her chest. "Has Galgheita ever taken a lover at all? You both understand why I ask! Elyon will need to find someone who can wake her from - "_

_"Galgheita needs a True Love kiss to wake up. How very fabled."- Nerissa murmured mockingly and shook her head. "I have no idea, Kadma, but regardless, one's true love is not just any lover they've had. She's doomed. True love is something which is rare, something which not everyone finds in a lifetime. Something that can only exist between soulmates like my son and Cornelia. Something which can only be born between people from different worlds, whose ways of fate have crossed. People who've shared a passion and an idea that has unleashed the lust between them. Mere lust that has grown into something much bigger - "_

_"Like you and your husband."- Kadma rubbed her chin thoughtfully. Her thoughts had been provoked by the new topic that lay before them. "Yes, I also think that not just any love is true love. Sometimes true love can be a friendship which has led to intimate feelings; even if platonic for the most of it- "_

_"True love is also the love which we have for our kids. Regardless if they're our flesh and blood or not."- Halinor was ready to end the philosophical debate with her statement. Her eyes glistening with hope and excitement. "Am I wrong? Your love for your son helped redeem yourself, Nerissa. That is another incarnation of true love! And the love which Elyon's adoptive family has for her is another similar form of that. You're both right, yet think too straightforwardly. I don't believe that true love is as rare as everyone believes, because the sincerity of one's love depends on the capabilities and choices of that one's heart. The connection which we establish between ourselves and those who play an important part in our life can also turn into pure love. Galgheita's Elyon wet nanny, but after all that they've been through, I think that she feels her much closer. And so does Elyon. Don't you see? That's why the Oracle said that only Elyon will be able to wake Galgheita up. Love has many forms and true love is in the purest of them. Such as the relationships formed between an infant child and its savior-"_

_"You're saying that Elyon carries the true love which Galgheita needs. I must say, Halinor. It's quite possible. "- Nerissa said after estimating what she had just heard. "I know for sure that when Miriadel, Alborn and Galgheita stepped into her Bratness's life to substitute Weira and Zanden, they did it with pure hearts and earnest intentions. And pure hearts are prone to developing the ability to love truly."_

_"As are those of orphans who've found the right people to love them unconditionally."- Kadma looked up._

_"So, you do agree. We've solved it. Oh, I'm so happy, Galgheita will be able to attend the girl's wedding!"- Halinor got excited and up from her seat. "We must tell Elyon immediately! Or should we tell Will and the guardians first? No, no, I have a better idea! I'm calling Yan-Yan and Cass-"_

_"Hal, wait a minute, please."- it pained her to do it, but she had to. Kadma looked over to Nerissa who just nodded firmly. They didn't even need telepathy to coordinate their opinions._

_The former fire guardian looked at her friends with a quenching smile. Their faces were joyless and she didn't like it._

_The large, flower-filled room they were in, let in the last rays of the setting sun through its large windows. The young guardians had left and the three of them were alone in Kadma's family manor. The sitting area, where she and her friends had settled down, grew dimmer when a cloud outside covered the sun and inside, Halinor dared to ask:_

_"What is it, Kads? Why wait? We should share our discovery now and-"_

_"I'm the last person to care for Himerish and his opinion, but we can't deny that it is often important to do that... He always punishes those who disobey him, even if he'll never admit to it, so if we have to be collegial and respect his darn words this time...we can't just tell Elyon the answer to her test. If we take this as a test meant for her, interfering would be wrong."- Kadma sighed. "If you recall he said that only she'd know what to do and how to wake her nanny, once the time comes. Maybe...that time hasn't come yet."_

_"It's silly not to admit it when Himerish has a right."- Nerissa went on calmly as she and her friend observed Halinor becoming glum. "In spite of what his thinking did to us back in the day, sometimes his decisions can be useful. Like now, for example, if we just tell Elyon how to handle the situation, she'll never learn to think of solutions on her own."_

_Halinor watched her friends express their opinions and then slumped back in her chair with a sigh. She had seen that coming, and even though she had mixed feelings about it, she couldn't deny the sense which it made."_

_"You're right I...I just wanted to help, that's all. So, our final decision is what? We decide to wait for Elyon to discover what we've already discovered, on her own?"_

_"Oh, that's a brave idea, Halinor, no." - Nerissa looked at Kadma again, before saying: "We'll tell W.I.T.C.H and from then on, the solution shall become their responsibility. After all, they are the guardians."_

***END OF FLASHBACK***

"It is closed."- Nerissa smiled smugly and got ready to leave. "But thank you, though. You gave an eloquent answer to my dilemma on time. Time is what you'll have to spend in order to see the bigger picture."- she added with a wicked smirk.

_Oh, Will, your faith in Elyon is just another reminder of your lack of wisdom_, she thought recalling a certain talk she and the keeper had had just before she had gotten here. _I knew that Andan would try to ensure his marriage once I was told that he has been here. I also knew that he'll choose to do it by using Elyon to get me off his back. But that poor fool can't see further from his nose since he feels that his silly little marriage is threatened by me! Anyways, all that helped me tremendously. My plan to take Phobos down will not be thwarted. It's good that Galgheita will remain in the Cosmos of Abeyance up until that happens. I'm sorry, Halinor..._

"Wait, you were going to tell me something?"- Elyon exclaimed, but the brunette had already turned her back on her. "Nerissa!"- she yelled after her. "Oh, whatever! Do as you please, I'm sick and tired of your attitude! Just remember what I told you. Acting behind my back will not do you good! And if you do something like what you've done in Coronia, again, even my gratitude for Caleb won't be able to save you."

_Oh, you silly girl,_ the sorceress thought with a smirk, just before exiting the fitting room. _Your choice of words amuses me because you will be the one to save this realm from your damned brother. Even if unwittingly._

* * *

**The new arc of the Dark Descendant has begun. Keep track of the events, because things are about to escalate! So far so good: Phobos is free and is composing a major return to ultimate power with his newest alley and lover, the mysterious princess Leonida, an old acquaintance of W.I.T.C.H. Leonida is with child! Cedric has an agenda of his own, (just like most of the characters, lol) but where will that take him to? With hatred that burns the old wounds, Nerissa has a new cunning plan to strike down her enemies, a plan that includes Elyon and her fiancé, but who is pulling the strings this time? What major changes are to come around, and which guardian's life will face a mortifying twist like never before? Stay tuned to find out!**

** ~ stay blessed and safe ~ xoxo, jimelization**


	14. There's Something Gruesome in the Air 1

**Chapter 14: There's Something Gruesome in the Air Part One**

_"You are going to betray me. I understand. And I hold my hands over the ears of my heart so that I will not hate you"_  
_\- Catherine M. Valentine_

**_quick note: don't forget to check out my new Caleb/Cornelia one-shot "Hold no Brief for Briefs" ;) Happy reading!_**

* * *

"As the wedding approaches, we ought to ensure the final result of our plan."- Phobos tossed his long, wet hair back and exited the bathroom with just a towel wrapped around his waist. "We need to get to the gardens of Myrna and to the magical Nariphon* fruits. The problem is that the garden we seek isn't very near to our current location. It is, in fact, in a different Universe."

"The gardens of Myrna? I thought that they were just a myth."- Cedric followed the prince with his eyes, as Phobos unceremoniously dropped his towel down and proceeded to get dressed.

The olden bedroom with its almost village-like furniture was not worthy of royalty, but it was the best which they could do as for now. Yes, the Hidden Mansion had been much more glamorous, but the circumstances had led them to this point. At least now that they were on Meridian, their concerns with the veil were no longer as big.  
"The myth tells the story of Queen Myrna, who ruled Meridian centuries ago. Upon giving birth to many male descendants throughout her years, old age began to catch up with her and she didn't have much time left to beget a daughter. The kingdom needed its future Queen, and desperate because of that, Myrna resorted to black magic to open a portal to another Universe. There she found the Nariphon trees that promised to help gift her with a daughter. Even though they warned her of the price which she had to pay if she resorted to them, Myrna was devoted to her kingdom and didn't think twice. The spirit of Nariphon fulfilled its promise, but upon giving birth to her daughter, the dark forces Myrna had made a deal with, imprisoned her in the parallel Universe, and she became sole guardian of the trees as to make sure that their otherworldly power will never be used again. Ever since then, the fields hosing the Nariphon trees have been known as the gardens of Myrna around the Metamoor."

Leonida was at some other part of the cottage and hence the Lord had allowed himself to spend some time alone with his Prince. Phobos made a face as he buttoned his undershirt:

"Very well, Cedric. Your retelling of the old legend was quite precise, I'm sure that our once teachers would've been proud of you for remembering after so much time. If the majority of them weren't _dead_."- he tucked the shirt in his pants. "Leastwise, I'm sure you recall the rumors about my mother being offered to use the Nariphon fruits after she had _me_."- the man pronounced the last part of his sentence so very grimly, evidently resenting the thought. "But, naturally, Queen Weira was too _noble_ to resort to such dark magic. She decided to stay natural and gave her put-upon uterus a second chance. After long years of countless tries, she and her consort had my dear sister. I've never considered the rumors around her pregnancy important because the deed was already done- my sister had come to existence to rob me of everything which I should've had and it didn't matter how. But now that I'm in a need of some magical assurance, and after Leonida managed to find a way to cross over to the parallel world of Myrna, I can't help being interested, Cedric. All myths carry a dose of truth; hence we will choose to believe in this one. By now you're aware of Leonida's abilities; she knows what she's doing."

Cedric didn't reply at once, angered by the thought of Leonida and her significance in general. Then he looked up at Phobos and said:

"Regardless of everything, sire, your mother loved you. Even if she didn't often show it, Queen Weira had a soft spot for you in her heart. What Meridian wanted wasn't necessarily what she wanted-"

Phobos snorted, but for a second, his cold green eyes lost their malicious shine. One look at his reflection in the mirror helped pronounce the next words:

"It doesn't matter what the old nag loved or wanted, Cedric, she's dead. Had she loved me, she wouldn't have plotted against me...Darn Meridian and their Queendom hankerings...They darn well deserved to rot in misery for that and they did, for over 13 years!"- Cedric sensed the prince's inner turmoil and mood going south, so he hasted to say:

"Forget that, my Liege, do tell me more about this expedition to the gardens of Myrna. If we're to cross over to a Universe parallel to this one and this realm, we must get to the turning point in Meridian's scenery, which Leonida has already found, I assume."

"She has."- Phobos confirmed and finally faced the other man fully clothed. "Like every inversion point, there is, this one can be manipulated and used to one's advantage. Magic which only Leonida can do for now, due to her birthright powers."- he frowned as he said that; some people were born with unique powers, while he had to absorb his from others' life force. "It's over there, it's very far away from here."- the prince pointed at the plotted map laying on the bed. "Near the former galhot cemetery."

"That's nearly a day in travels, sire!"- Cedric exclaimed as he looked at the map up close. "Teletransporting there is out of the question, these lands are immune to that due to the protection spells on the cemetery- "

"I know. This is why we'll need a diversion to keep the obnoxious guards, the rebels, my pathetic sister, Nerissa, and their darned guardians busy. Saying that out loud makes me realize how many people want to see me down and that only further motivates me to succeed. Anyway, back to our travels. For them to be unbothered, we will need a proper distraction that I've already thought of."

"But, prince Phobos, forgive my inquiring, if you may, wouldn't a sudden attack in Meridian raise suspicion?"

"Very well, Lord Cedric. You think like me and I commend it- do not worry, we're not to attack Meridian. We're about to cause a riot on Earth; in our beloved Heatherfield, if you may."

The shapeshifter looked at the other man and his diabolical grin with incomprehension and a dose of concern. Was he losing the last pieces of his sanity? How was he imagining it? How were they to launch an attack through the veil? Yes, Cedric had been able to open an ancient passageway between Meridian and Coronia, but that had only been possible as Coronia was untouched by the veil. With Earth the case was totally different, the planet was veiled by Kandrakar just like Meridian, and the only way to reach it was through Nerissa's heavily guarded portal somewhere in the Infinite City. That was hardly an option to be considered...

"Oh, don't give me that look, Cedric. We don't have to think about how to cross the veil."- Phobos said, having read his concerns on his face. "We just have to get a little present delivered to Earth by the royal passling smuggler. I'm sure that you'll be able to achieve that, Cedric. You'll trade Blunk this while me and Leonida go on our way. Then you'll come back here and await our return. Possibly do some dusting, at least. This dump has gotten even dirtier over the last days."

Cedric didn't have time to be miserable because of the fact that he was being left behind yet again, this time as a maid, because Phobos took a small, but beautiful box out of his dresser and handed it to him:

"What is this?"- he asked with open curiosity.

"Let's just say that once this box is opened, Heatherfield will have bigger problems than thinking about me for a good while. Especially the guardians."

* * *

_**Meanwhile on Heathefield….**_

"Cornelia, it's extremely impolite to be late! How many times have I told you that, my girl! We really have to revise our knowledge on good manners, I see"- Vera Hale noted with a critically raised eyebrow as she welcomed her granddaughter and her friend in the Hales' penthouse.

Irma was the only one to accompany her, as they had been busy with Lillian's practice all morning. The others had already gone to the Lyndon observatory, where they were all invited, but Cornelia and Irma needed to drop Killian at Garden Plaza before they could join them.

"It's not my fault that there's an awful traffic jam, right between our neighborhood and the main boulevard, grandmother."- Cornelia rolled her eyes as she walked in and left her baby in the fancy cradle which Vera already had brought in the spacious living room. She gave Killian one last smile and a soft kiss on the forehead. He was almost 4-month-old by now and he was gorgeous.

"Yeah, Mrs. Hale, we weren't at all late because Cornelia took forever to get ready."- Irma called in innocently." Don't you know her motto is: The Queen is never late, everyone else are just early!"

Cornelia turned around to shoot her a poisonous glare, but her grandmother had taken the word:

"Cornelia, that's scandalous! You're a mother now and you should be a better role model. Trust me when I tell you that kids take notice of what the adults around them do from an extremely early age! You don't want to be a _bad_ role model like your mother, now do you?"

Elizabeth and Harold had gone on a vacation to Beverly Hills for the week, and hence the Earth guardian had seen herself forced to leave her son with Vera. Yes, Cornelia knew that her grandmother was getting quite old, but she was still holding good and was as sharp as ever if one knew her well enough to accept all her pompous and maddening statements as normal.

"Alright grandma, Caleb will come to pick Killian up right after the opening reception is over, that should be in two hours or so."- the blonde tossed her long locks, today curly, to the back. "I'm sure you'll do just fine, meanwhile, right? Great, we'll get going! The others will be waiting for us in front of the observatory."

But before she could decamp, Vera's authoritative voice caught up with her:

"Sit tight, young lady! A few things."- and Vera started counting her fingers down." Firstly, how dare you query my abilities to take great care of my great-grandson? Didn't I raise a fine son and two granddaughters to perfection? Next, I want to congratulate you for going to a refined event held by Zacharias Lyndon. I knew his older brother, Charles, may he rest in peace, and his family has always been with high public status! Even if they were not socialites like me..."

"Grandma, we'll be late."- Cornelia reminded her.

"...last, but not least, I insist that you and your fiancé join me for dinner tonight. Don't refuse me, Cornelia, I'm all alone here."- Vera said to her granddaughter's surprise. "I will have something cooked, Enrique, my chef will be here soon while I spend quality time with my Killian. And then I'm going to wait for you. Feel free to bring your in-laws too. Now, go, Cornelia. I'll get everything ready."

Cornelia and Irma exchanged glances before they went on their way. The Latina nodded encouragingly at the other woman and took her goodbyes with Vera, heading for the door. Cornelia was about to do the same, but before that, she stopped and hugged her grandmother.

"There, there, Cornelia, darling, what's the matter? Just careful with my rib cage."- Vera exclaimed as she hugged her granddaughter back. "Does that mean that you accept my invitation without second protests?"

"Yes, grandma."- the blonde replied as she held the older lady with affection. Often, she forgot to express her feelings towards her grandma, who she loved and respected so much, even when they fought by reason of their dominant characters. Yes, they could both be hard to endure, she was aware of it. They could both be bossy, snobby and presuming, but they were, after all, grandmother and granddaughter, and Cornelia was forever beholden to the Universe for that. "We'll be here at 6:30."

* * *

"I'm nervous, grandma."- Hay Lin confided to the older woman, as Peter parked the car in front of the observatory. "What if now's a bad time? Eric is so pumped about hosting this year's Astrofest. I shouldn't have postponed telling him so much; I'm so stupid..."

"Ahh, enough is enough, granddaughter. You'll do just fine."- Yan Lin scolded her. "Just listen to the voice within and let your element guide your words to Eric's heart. I have full faith in that boy, he'll take the news like a real gentleman. He won't leave you for you're a guardian, Hay Lin."

Hay Lin sighed despondently and looked over at Taranee's understanding face. The fire guardian, who was sitting next to her on the backseat, put her hand on her shoulder reassuringly.

She and her grandmother had traveled to the observatory in Peter's car together with his sister and Cassidy. They had finally found a place to park and it was time to head to the opening reception:

"Hay Lin, be strong and believe in your love."- Cassidy said from the front seat. "Trust me, telling the truth may be hard, but it's never a wrong decision. While if you choose to hide it from the guy you'd like to spend your life with, the consequences may be too weighty for the both of you."

Hay Lin sighed again and felt the two buns on top of her hair to make sure that they were even. She knew that the former guardian was talking from her personal experience, but still...Maybe she was right. If Cassidy could work out her own complicated situation, there was hope for her too, right? But then again, Peter had been connected to the world of Kandrakar by so many things. His sister for starters. And then who was going to play the role of Cornelia, who had taken the time to explain the hard to digest details to her ex-boyfriend and put him in a favorable mood, in their case?

It was beginning to snow lightly when they all got out of the car and headed for the main entrance to the observatory. Hay Lin walked close to her grandmother with an uneasy expression, deep in her thoughts. She could've as well missed her friends, who had all gathered in front of the observatory if they hadn't called her name:

"Hay Lin, Taranee, over here!"- Will waved to them from the top of the stairs. "We've been waiting for you!"

"Will, Nigel!"- Taranee exclaimed and rushed to the group. "What are you guys doing out, you should've waited for us inside."

On the top of the square in front of the entrance, Will, Matt, Susan, Dean and Nigel were standing in a circle together with Martin, Caleb, Nerissa and Julian. All dressed in outerwear, they greeted the new arrivals. Apparently, Cornelia and Irma still hadn't arrived, for they were the only ones who Hay Lin didn't see. Or maybe they were already inside.

Nigel took his girlfriend in his arms, as Cassidy went to hug Nerissa. The two of them got engaged in a side conversation about the redhead's pregnancy, isolating themselves from the others.

"Yeah, we needed to find a parking space. This place is packed!"- Peter added with a smile as he caught up with his sister and amicably patted Caleb's back. He had taken a great liking to the rebel leader, who was also considering him a friend by now.

"Don't worry, Taranee, we're not cold."- Susan interfered with a smile. "Louise is entertaining us with stories from her travels! Some of the interesting facts she told were a novelty even for Dean!"

"Well, after all, we are competent in two different fields, Susan."- her husband coughed, visibly irked by the remark.

That was when Hay Lin's anxiety increased tenfold. Oh, no, how could've she forgotten to keep in mind that Eric's parents would be here? It was their son's first international event, _of course,_ that Louise would fly back from Opal Hill or whatever other destination she had been at. She was his mother, but at times, Hay Lin was genuinely appalled by her...

For ten years, the scientist and her son's girlfriend hadn't succeeded in melting the ice between each other. Ice which at first glance, appeared to be non-existent, but the young Asian girl knew better than to trust Louise's artificial politeness. She didn't like her and even took her for a weirdo in the past, and that had remained so till day, all because of her secret which condemned their relations from the very first meeting in the Silver Dragon, years ago...

"Professor Collins is right."- Hay Lin finally saw Louise's figure behind Caleb. "We're intelligent people with versatile interests, but we can't help being most advanced in our own field, right? It's nice to see you again, Hay Lin."- the Air guardian managed to smile weakly. It had been at least two years since she had last seen her boyfriend's mother at a, particularly awkward lunch.

Since then, Louise had cut her hair shorter in a retro, yet glamorous hairstyle. She looked good, she looked as pretty as ever. _But why did she have to come just now, when I finally gathered the courage to tell Eric the truth,_ Hay Lin thought sadly, as everyone got ready to enter the observatory. The reception was about to begin.

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen, dear guests. I'm honored to be able to host this year's Astrofest, here, in my hometown Heatherfield, in my family observatory. I'm proud and elated to present all that our astronomers and specialists have put together for you, together with so many other colleagues from all over the continent. My guests, welcome! Welcome to Astrofest! Walk around and gaze at the star maps and thrilling discoveries as you enjoy the light background music and the fine cuisine. Thank you! Thank you for being here today, helping us at most, as we raise funds for future space research. The pleasure of your presence is entirely mine!"

Eric left the microphone aside, but his earnest, handsome smile remained on his face even after he left the podium. The crowd drowned him with applause and Hay Lin couldn't help the smile spreading on her own face. She was so incredibly proud of him for all that he was achieving. For his outgoing nature, kind heart and dashing attitude...

"I'm once again concluding that boy is not just handsome, he's incredibly sweet and intelligent too."- her grandmother said next to her as if having read her thoughts. "He's a keeper and so are you. He will help you with the burden of the secret, my little Hay Lin. I'm sure of it. "

Hay Lin's shoulders slumped down in uncertainty.

"I hope you're right, grandma..."

"It's a pity your parents couldn't come with us, but I guess we should be happy that the Dragon is going strong-"- Yan Lin stopped in the middle of her sentence, as she noticed her granddaughter's oppression.

"Hay Lin, what bothers you so much about talking to Eric about the truth? It's his mother's presence here, isn't it."

Hay Lin winced but didn't even bother to deny it. Her wise grandma was always able to read her.

"I know it's lame, grandma. Our relationship has made it through storms, it has surely matured enough for me to be able to reveal the last part of my soul and identity to him, and I was ready to do it today. You know that! I had braced myself...but then, when I saw his mom, a-all my courage disappeared... She never really liked me, and the last thing which I need is to give her another reason to think of me as a screwball. I just know that she'll come in the way of me and my confession to Eric, and the result will be catastrophic, I-"

"Here's what."- the ex-guardian cut her off before she could get herself even more worked up. "Enjoy the reception now, be yourself and act cool. Once you decide that its time to talk to Eric, just pull him out, take him to a secluded place! Leave Louise to me."

Yan Lin couldn't hide her smile as she saw the younger woman's eyes light up upon hearing her statement:

"You would? Are you sure grandma, she can be pretty unwinnable..."

"Ehh, I was a guardian for over 40 years, my little Hay Lin. I've seen worse! I can deal with your future Yuèmǔ** for as long as you need her attention occupied."

* * *

Nerissa raised the champagne glass to her lips as she walked past the different star maps and planet models. None of them looked like something she was too familiar with; she was only partly acquainted with this part of the Universe from her school days. Regardless, she could tell that Eric and his family were quite advanced in this science, and could understand the young man's jubilation when it came to hosting an international event of this caliber.

She spied Will at the other end of the large hall, talking to her mother in a visibly irritated fashion. Nerissa couldn't stop herself from smirking, once again traveling back to a conversation with her replacement from the past days.

_***FLASHBACK***_

_Will wasn't surprised when she opened the door of her apartment and found the former keeper of the Heart on the threshold. They had already talked about this and had arranged this meeting._

_Nerissa entered the residence unruffled, and seated herself on the couch in the living room, where she crossed her legs and gave the younger woman an expectant look:_

_"Well, Will? Did you do your homework?"_

_"I did."- the redhead murmured, as she pulled her over-sized shirt down. "I didn't get to speak to the Oracle about the matter, because he was busy with meditation, but I managed to steal a few minutes with Tibor who gave guidelines."_

_"Marvelous."- the brunette sniggered. "And what do these guidelines suggest?"_

_Will stopped to study her expression for a moment before responding:_

_"I suppose you'll be delighted to hear that you were right, Nerissa. Partly, at least."_

_"Partly?"_

_"Yes. You see, telling Elyon how to deal with a problem she has to solve on her own is wrong. But since we're talking about a living person in the base of this entire problem, the Council suggests that we test her in another, more 'light', yet moral test."_

_Nerissa's arched brows spoke for themselves. But Will saw a hint of smugness behind the almost perfect act, which had her question the other woman's motives._

_"...We've received permission to give Elyon a push in the right direction with the Galgheita manner. If she can prove herself as morally mature and stable enough-"_

_"I take it that you've had the prudence to spare Cornelia this information. - "_

_"Nerissa, I wasn't born yesterday."- Will rolled her eyes. "Now if you have any suggestions as to how to test Elyon, I'm all in ears. And try not to think of something that'll kill her this time, OK?"_

_"As a matter of fact, I do have a suggestion."- Nerissa declared and leaned back on the couch with another smug smile._

_"Yes?"_

_" We will test Elyon's strength of character. Raythor informed me that her Highness has had a visitor in her chambers while we were traveling to Fadden Hills."_

_"Huh?"- Will was sure that she had misheard. "Elyon had someone in her chambers? What is that supposed to mean- "_

_"Oh, I don't know."- the other woman mused with annoyance. "Maybe they've made Christmas cards in her room! Please, I take it that you aren't that stupid, but it appears-"_

_"I was just surprised, OK? Sheesh!"- Will defended herself and slumped down in the armchair nearby. "I had no idea that her relationship with Andan is already at that stage. Anyway, your suggestion was? How is the fact that Elyon accepted the Coronian guy in her chambers going to help us test her? He's her fiancé, so I don't believe that spending the night with him proves that she lacks moral stability - "_

_"Oh, no. Of course, it doesn't."- Nerissa whispered and once again beamed in complacency. "But what Andan has told her sure will help. See, as Magana's son, that boy will be sure to do whatever it takes to ensure his marriage to Meridian's Queen happens. We will use that to our advantage. If Elyon gets influenced by her future husband's stance and fails to distinguish what's most important for her kingdom right now, which is taking Phobos down, by all means, necessary, she will also fail the moral stability test which Kandrakar requires. It's simple and easy, Will. Just like we need it to be. You agree?"_

***END OF FLASHBACK***

Yes, she had agreed. She had agreed and the ex-keeper's plan had worked out perfectly. Or at least the first part of it...For everything to happen according to the master plan, she needed more time. She needed to do many more things...No one had ever said that it'd be easy, but Nerissa knew that she couldn't give up. She never did. She had promised her son when accepting to be Mage again, that she will keep his homeland safe by all means necessary and she wasn't planning on failing him.

"I've spent enough time on Earth to know that this is a cliché, but your eyes truly do shine brighter than all these stars."- her husband's voice broke her off of her thoughts.

The woman smiled and let her soft dark crimps brush against his face.

"I don't mind a good sounding cliché when it comes from your mouth, my dear Julian."- Nerissa turned around and playfully brought her glass to the veteran rebel's lips.

He made an amusing face as he tasted the alcoholic drink and then reached to peck her cheek.

"It sure was pleasant of that boy Eric to invite us along with everyone else, wasn't it? Very thoughtful."-Julian mused as he wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders and together, they moved to the next exhibit.

"Yes."- Nerissa agreed. "I approve of him in general. And this entire social function is also _almost_ enjoyable. In the midst of all the problems we've had lately, it serves as a proper relief."

"No, love. Our biggest problems are behind us. Now that we're back together and we've mended relations with all your old-time friends and our encirclement by and large."- Julian shook his head. "Phobos and Leonida are nothing in comparison to what we've already been through. I'm positive that their time will end before it has started; it's our time that I care about. I want to spend my time with you and our family. Promise me."

"Well, but of course, Julian"- the ex-guardian replied softly as she turned to meet his eyes. "We've started our new chapter just like we wanted. Why this wistful tinge in your voice? I promised you, life is a journey which has just started for us. No one can change that."

"I know, Nerissa. I'm not wistful, I'm rather...grateful. Ever since you and the other former guardians became friends again, you've been so reasonable and calm; you even agreed to return the Heart of Aridia when they asked you too."- Julian smiled at her attentive expression and stroked her cheek. "I wanted to tell you how proud I am, proud of you for leaving all these behind-the-scenes actions behind. You've been functioning as Mage with a newfound grace because you learned to trust others again. Back on Coronia, for example, you took our son and confided your mission to him. Not that your past actions weren't justified, it's just this newfound openness of yours that suits you so much. I just wanted to tell you all this before we got carried away by something else. I've loved you ever since the days of your vengeance, but I appreciate your efforts to change into a better version of yourself."

"You really think so?"- Nerissa said in the end, upon assimilating his words. They had provoked different thoughts and emotions in her, but the feeling of being loved prevailed. A little tinge of guilt was left to scald her soul, though.

Julian gazed into her eyes and smiled softly. Around them, the hustle of the opening reception continued:

"I do."- he said. "I hope that it doesn't insult you in any way, for you've given me so much love, especially over the last ten years. You've hardly ever been a true sinner in my eyes, love, but honesty definitely looks divine on you. And you can understand what I mean to say, I'm sure of it. Your love and vision for a better world have always been honest, but now that your actions are too, you're a true role model to be prided."

"But I'll never be, I can never be as open to everyone, and you know it. I'm not a guardian angel, I'm not a moral staff- "

"And you don't have to be. It's enough to be open to me, to our son, your friends...all those people that are closest to us. Trust me, Nerissa, it does make a difference. So many have restored their faith in you, and I couldn't be happier about it. It means that our chapter is being written with high marks."

The ex-guardian placed her hands on his chest and sighed inaudibly. His love and trust for her were so pure... she couldn't bear to disappoint him in any way anymore. She had already done that enough times in the past. And yet again, her plan to bring Phobos down required_ some_ sort of moral sacrifice... She couldn't put all her genius in action without overstepping certain borders, and if she didn't, how was she supposed to save Meridian and the word given to Caleb? There was no proper way to do all the right things without hurting someone... Unless...

Nerissa could sense the flickering of the faint flame of one last alternative. Hurting her husband and son in the name of a higher good, however, was out of the question. She had decided. Never again would she cause them pain, even if only emotionally.

"True that, Julian. I'm glad that you shared this with me. I'd take off even the skin, I'll remain only in my soul."- the raven-haired woman said in the end and went in Julian's embrace. "Your trust is mine, but I'm yours."

In spite of the loud sounds, they had attracted a few curious glances, one of which, however, wasn't curious at all. It was expectant. The curious strangers couldn't help throwing glances towards the pair, even if unable to hear anything, but Will was just waiting. She was waiting for Julian's signal, which wasn't delayed. When he winked at her, the redhead smiled and nodded from her spot in the other corner of the huge hall.

True, the veteran had meant all that he had said, but he had come to say it after _her_ request.

_I knew that you'd never be willing to help Elyon directly, even if Galgheita is in question, Nerissa_, the redhead thought. _I don't know what exactly you had planned, but at least now I'm sure that you'll think twice before doing something wrong. Once, you were the only one who could find the so-called 'weakest spots' in our characters, but nowadays, I'm also able to do that. What you must admit is that, at times, our weakest links turn out to be our strongest weapons. Like in your case, your true love keeps you away from corruption and bigger evil..._

"...Earth to Wilhelmina Vandom! What's so interesting over there that you ignore us like that?"- her mother's voice pulled her out of her thoughts, as if with a slap.

"Huh?!"- Will winced and focused her eyes on Susan and Dean in front of herself, giving her interrogative looks.

"Mr. and Mrs. Crossnic sure do love each other."- Dean noted having followed his stepdaughter's glance to the pair.

"Not more than us, I'm sure."- Susan crossed her arms on her chest and looked over at her daughter again: "Right, Will?"

"Yeah, of course, mom."- the redhead tucked a strand behind her ear. "It's not a contest."

"But if it was, we'd win."- the brunette reannounced, irked. "_Right?"_

Will stared at her mother incredulously. Sometimes she was truly putting her away with her competitiveness. Collins just smirked as he met the redhead's glance and threw his hand over Susan's shoulders:

"I suggest we go back to my story about the constellations of this group over here, shall we? A certain _someone_ brought my knowledge of the skies down in front of Louise Lyndon, and I am more than willing to prove her wrong- "

Mother and daughter both groaned in burnout, as the man went on with his lecture. No, Susan wasn't the only competitive person in this marriage, Will decided. Dean was just as bad as her when his intellect was concerned.

* * *

"Hey, you, I can't even begin to tell you how overwhelmed I am. Today has been great! And if the opening is great, the entire Astrofest will be as smooth as butter!"- Eric was celebrating when his girlfriend met up with him in one of the empty, glazed corridors on the upper floors of the observatory.

She had asked him to join her away from the crowd, for a minute, and his mood was fantastic. Her grandmother was keeping Louise busy just like she had promised and yet, Hay Lin couldn't make herself reveal her secret just now. How was she supposed to even start saying this? He'd think she's insane.

_I encouraged Taranee and Irma when it was their turn to let their boyfriends in the know, but when it's finally my turn, nothing seems to bring me courage,_ the young woman thought despondently. _I feel the air as if it's trying to suffocate me. Something bad is about to happen, I can sense the dread hanging. And that bad thing will be Eric's reaction, once he finds that I've had a secret for him. For so many years...Sometimes, being a guardian is so unfun. What am I even thinking, we're not kids anymore! Being a guardian can ruin my relationship with a man I want to grow old with..._

"Hay Lin, is something the matter?"- she felt Eric gently bring his lips to hers as he held her, and then gaze into her eyes with his impeccable charm.

The Air guardian shivered as a new gush of bad air went past her.

_Oh, well, if I have to erase your memory after this like grandma had to do with grandpa, then so be it! I can't postpone this any longer!_

"Yes, Eric. There's something that I've been meaning to tell you."- she said more firmly than she had expected her own voice to come out, tightening her fingers around his forearms.

"You can tell me anything."- the man said sincerely, flashing her a reassuring smile.

Hay Lin felt slightly better. If only the air around her wasn't so pressing and tense...It must have been her own tension. She opened her mouth, but before she could voice a single word, the _deafening_ sound from outside, broke all the windows in the hallway as they stormed inside. Hundreds. Thousands of insects, flew in, like a horrific black cloud. A ruthless swarm that headed straight towards the two terrified, flabbergasted young people, veiling them in the whizzing curtains of its winged soldiers.

* * *

"And that is why Eric gave this ring as a present to me for my birthday this year. Sapphire is my astral stone."- Louise Lyndon revealed around the cocktail table, clearing up quite a few things to Yan Lin.

Why her granddaughter hadn't yet received a marriage proposal, even after overhearing her boyfriend talking about a ring at the end of summer, for example. This had to be the ring in question.

"Anyway, Mrs. Lin, it has been a pleasure to talk to you, but I must go and call Eric and Hay Lin now."- the astronomer smiled and attempted to leave her side. Yan Lin didn't allow her to:

"Oh, oh wait, Louise, but you can't! You haven't yet told me about your travel to China earlier this year!"- the old lady shot, desperate to keep her around. You mentioned it earlier."

"I will tell you all about it later, right now, it's time for Eric to get ready for an interview. The press is waiting."- Louise smiled and pointed at the other end of the hall, where Zacharias was talking to a small group of reporters.

_Oh, yap!_ The former guardian glanced at the reporters and back at Louise, who was starting to look at her oddly by now. _That was all they needed, for this woman to think of their entire family as wackos. _Yan Lin thought feverishly_. _What could she do? Louise was irrepressible.

"Wait, Louise!"- the elderly lady pulled the other woman back a little bit too harshly. That didn't go unnoticed by the short-haired scientist, whose eyes widened in slight outrage, but before she could say anything, Yan Lin had already brushed it off: "I'll go and call Eric, you wait here, OK, dear? Good! I know where he and Hay Lin are, anyway."- she lied. "You'll just lose time searching for them."

"Sure, Mrs. Lin, but please hurry up."- Mrs. Lyndon said with a skeptic look mixed with worry spilled all over her face. "This is really important for my son's future in these fields."

_Ahh, I can see how things are of different importance to your son and you._ Yan Lin bit her lip as she headed for the exit of the big hall, unsure of what to do now. She hoped that she'll be able to sense her granddaughter and send her a short telepathic notice as not to ruin a possible moment between her and her boyfriend. The old lady wasn't sure of who to blame in the situation, which was, by all means unpleasant- Louise, for being an overly pushy parent or her Hay Lin, who had chosen this specific day to make her big confession.

"Mrs. Lin."- Taranee's hiss startled her before she could make her way through all the people. "There's an emergency! Someone is attacking the observatory. Someone supernatural. All the guests must remain in the hall and we need to go and help Hay Lin upstairs. Now!"

The guardians and Yan Lin rushed upstairs all together, running through the observatory. Dread and worry were all the former guardian could think of at that moment with even another obstacle had been added in front of the entire, hard-enough already situation.

"Guys!"- Hay Lin screamed as her friends made the way up to the corridor where she was desperately trying to push the swarm away with her powers. "Finally! I've been calling you forever! I can't keep this up any longer!"

"Ewww."- Irma exclaimed as she gawked at the thousands of bugs. "What is that supposed to be?! The apocalypse of bugs?!"

"There are so many!"- Taranee shivered.

"Disgusting!"- Cornelia made a face, but Will didn't lose any more time. She raised the Heart of Kandrakar up:

"Whatever this is, we'll need our full powers to deal with it! Guardians unite!"

"Cornelia, Eric is allergic to bees!"- Hay Lin shouted once they were all transformed. "He got stung at least twice and he's unconscious. He needs your help!"

"I'm on it!"- her blonde friend used telekinesis to pull the fallen man close to herself and then started moving her hand above his body, using her healing powers on him.

Meanwhile, charged with the power of the Heart, Hay Lin was able to wield a powerful storm that blew the swarm out through the broken windows. Will struck the bedazzled insects with her Quintessence, ending the most of them for good.

Taranee went over to take a look at what was happening outside as Yan Lin approached her granddaughter and put a hand on her shoulder. The despondent look in Hay Lin's eyes told her that she hadn't succeeded in telling her boyfriend before the sudden attack.

"OK, what the hell was that abomination."- Irma put her hands on her hips. "A bunch of random bugs just unite and lash out at the observatory? On the day of the opening reception!? That shit is pretty unlikely."

"It's disgusting!"- Cornelia repeated, wrapping up Eric's healing procedure. "And it's obviously unnatural. Only magic can enthrall insects, right? Therefore, it can't be Lyndon's rivals!" Um, Hay Lin. He should be fine now, but to be sure, get him some anti-allergy pills."

"Oh, thank you, Cornelia. Thank God you were here. Eric's allergy can be dangerous if measures are not taken on time."

"No, problem. But now we need to get to the bottom of these cursed bugs' attack."

Will scoffed and nodded. She knew that this was a supernatural case, but she couldn't wrap her mind around who had started it this time and why.

"There's only one being with such powers that both I and you are familiar with."- Yan Lin called in grimly, grabbing everyone's attention. "Though I sincerely hope she's not involved."

"Who, grandma?"- Hay Lin asked with worry. "Who do you suspect?"

Her grandmother avoided her gaze. No, she didn't need to worry them and herself before she was entirely sure. Besides, what were the odds? She couldn't cross through the veil, she was a prisoner of Kandrakar...

"Umm, I hate to strike terror into you, but the bugs are not done with us _or_ Heahterfield. These stinkers are shadowing the sun! This is an invasion!"- Taranee's cry made everyone gather in front of the windows.

She wasn't kidding and why would she- the moment was terribly inconvenient, and to be extra dire, a new swarm was flying straight towards them.

"This is insane!"- Cornelia protested. "Where did all these insects come from and why are they attacking Heatherfield?!"

"Yeah, I get that you are striving to get answers, Corny, but we might as well want to STOP them from hurting innocent people out there."- Irma barked as she and Taranee combined their powers to create thick smoke which disorientated and defused the coming pests.

"Our problems don't stop here."- Yan Lin said, her eyes falling on Eric's unconscious body. "The boy is expected to give a speech downstairs. If he doesn't go- "

"Oh, no! His mom will blame it all on me!"- Hay Lin cried and looked at his grandmother helplessly. "What are we going to do, grandma?"

"We did lock the grand hall."- Will pondered out loud. "But soon the civilian will find out and Eric's interview will be the least of our problems."

"I thought that we're aiming to keep the civilian in nescience- ''

"Does this look like it can be hidden, Irma?"- Cornelia snapped and pointed at the dark clouds of insects in the distance. "Helloo, Heatherfield's been invaded by bugs! Call me a pessimist, but I think that a big part of the citizens has already noticed!"

"Not a good time to bicker, you two!"- Will called in strictly. "It's time to get this situation under control. At least somewhat! Irma, Hay Lin, go out and create a big blizzard above the entire city! The snow and cold air will neutralize these pests! Cornelia and Taranee, try to locate the primary source of this disaster and eliminate it! I'll do my best to stabilize the situation in the observatory and then I'll catch up with you. And don't forget to keep a low profile."

The guardians all nodded and flew out to begin with their tasks. Will was just exchanging last words with Yan Lin, getting ready to head out herself, when a familiar voice interfered:

"Not bad, Wilhelmina. I'm almost impressed."- Nerissa showed herself in the corridor and crossed her arms on her chest. "I'd add 'get Eric's unconscious body away from the open' as a final order, but that is just me."

_Little do you know how impressed you actually have to be_, Will thought smugly, remembering how she had outsmarted the ex-guardian one hour ago.

"How did you...Never mind."- the redhead shook her head. "Since you're here, help Mrs. Lin with that. The situation downstairs is it- "

"It's bearable."- Nerissa interrupted her. "Caleb canceled going to Meridian in order to help. Your boyfriend started some sort of attempt to entertain the guests and keep them occupied, my son's helping him... But these gnats are not attacking the city by coincidence. I already double-checked my portal- no one but Blunk has used it today."

"Oh, no Blunk."- Will groaned in frustration. "If this is his fault, I'm not going to spare him- "

"Even if Blunk has brought this plague to Heahterfield, it has been tossed to him deliberately."- Yan Lin interfered wisely. "This power seems way too familiar to me, yet I hope that I'm mistaken. The last time I witnessed such magic, was in the Valley of the Slow Willow River."

"We will have time to discuss all the details later."- Will had already headed for the main hall, but the ex-keeper was looking at her friend with knitted brows. "I'm going to check on Matt and Caleb."

"The Valley of the Willow...of course!"- Nerissa exclaimed. "Your leader's mission in that realm enslaved by that creature...The Cruel Empress***!"

Yan Lin's lips remained sealed, but her dropping despondence was eloquent, showing Nerissa that she had guesstimated right.

During the third year of their guardianhood, she and all her friends had had their own 'leader missions' in different realms, fit to their powers and element, where they had been expected to help the local people deal with different, serious problems.

Yan Lin's mission had been on a planet much like her own homeland, even if a more fabled version of it. There she had fought the ancient evil of the Cruel Empress alongside her friends, managing to free the people of the demoness and her army of insects, even if only for a good 20 years.

When the Empress had returned, CHYKN had already been disbanded, and help couldn't be offered to the Valley of the Slow Willow River. Liu, Yan Lin's good friend that she had made during the first mission, had been left to wait for Hay Lin to come and help her and the other people of the realm, decades later.

But after the girls' mission, Song Hо had been taken to Kandrakar, unlike the first time when she had managed to escape the former guardians. How could she be back now...

"Why didn't you tell them?"- Nerissa reproached her friend as she tried to lift Eric's body from the ground. "Have they dealt with the Empress before? Yan Lin, you know how_ artless_ these girls are, they need all the hints they can get- "

"A-a-a! They're not artless, they're good in what they do, and you know it. Come on, Nerissa, they're guardians for over 10 years!"- the older woman cut her off. "Needing more time to make the best decision is better than taking a polemical decision at once. Besides, I'm not a hundred percent sure that Song Hо is in Heatherfield. After all, the girls conveyed her to Kandrakar when they defeated her."

"Well. If you had listened to me and we had destroyed her during your leader's mission, none of this would be happening now. But I guess that would've been a polemical decision, huh?"- Nerissa noted icily, as she tried to lift Eric again. _"Oh, what am I doing!"_\- even if she was a tall woman, she couldn't by any means lift and carry the grown man up. She used her powers and in an instant, Eric was flying next to them.

"Let's take him to his room and leave him there."- Yan Lin suggested. "When he wakes up, he won't remember what has happened and we won't have to think up any excuses."

"Lead the way."- her friend agreed as the shorter woman started walking first. She knew her way around the observatory, which served as the Lyndons' home too.

They hadn't even made it to the upper floor when they heard a noise behind them. When Yan Lin turned to look back, she felt her heart crumble:

"Leave Eric's side immediately, I've dialed security. They're coming this way."- Louise Lyndon stood behind them with fear and anger written on her face. She must have snuck out of the main hall to come and search for her son and save his interview. How much had she heard? How much had she seen and understood? Apparently enough to call security. After all, she was witnessing her son floating in the air right at that moment...

Yan Lin cursed herself and bad luck.

"I knew it."- Louise spat as she whispered. "I knew that something was off! But this...I've never expected things to be this crazy complicated! You're dangerous, abnormalities! Your granddaughter and her friends...I saw them _fly_ through the windows, I saw and heard you! This is over!"- Louise said to the former guardians' shock. "None of you will even come near Eric from now on, you freaks!"

Yan Lin felt infuriated. She rarely lost her temper ever since growing old, but this woman managed to bring the worst in her. She didn't think twice; all she knew was that she couldn't allow this to happen. She couldn't allow Hay Lin's future to be ruined.

"What did you do?!"-Nerissa gasped as Louise hit the ground unconscious after Yan Lin swung her hand.

"Nothing."- the Asian woman said flatly. "I just sharply diluted the oxygen that she breathes. She will be fine. But when she wakes up, what she has seen and heard will no longer seem so real to her. C'mon, I will need ingredients for a forgetting potion. Come help me take them to their rooms."

Nerissa glanced at the other woman with something that looked like a mixture of amusement and awe before she set Louise's body to levitate next to Eric's:

"Well, Yanny, that was quite impressive. Was it the best decision or much rather a _polemical_ one, though?"

* * *

* _**The Nariphon**__\- (Thai: __นารีผล__, from Pali nārīphala), also known as Makkaliphon (Thai: __มักกะลีผล__, from Pali makkaliphala), is a tree in Buddhist mythology which bears fruit in the shape of young female creatures. The maidens grow attached by their head from the tree branches._

_**_**Yuèmǔ**\- mother-in-law (from Chinese)

_*** **The Cruel Empress** (also known as the Gruesome Empress)\- the main villain of one of the five W.I.T.C.H original books, the one starring Hay Lin. Its story is briefly retold in this chapter. At the end of the mission in the ''Valley of the Slow Willow River" (the name of the world where the story takes place), the girls take the Empress to Kandrakar, where the Oracle makes her a prisoner._

* * *

**A/N: In moments like these, when the entire world is going crazy, the best which we can do is self-isolate at home and occupy ourselves with reading, writing and talking to each other online! I wish you all to stay healthy and calm, this too shall pass! **  
**Lots of good wishes,**  
**~ jimelization ~ xoxoxo **


	15. There's Something Gruesome in the Air 2

**_Chapter 15: There's Something Gruesome in the Air Two_**

_In a time when the world is going through a lot, I would like to send my warmest and most earnest wishes for good health, prosperity and a brighter future to all of you. Everything will be fine, we just have to be heroes and stay at home!_

* * *

The blizzard made their flight through the Heatherfield sky quite difficult. The cold wind and giant snowflakes were hindering their eyesight, but Taranee managed to create a faint ellipse of fire to make way through the thick walls of rime. Cornelia, however, didn't seem to find that enough:

"This is hectic!"- she huffed, flying closer to Taranee as to hide from the snow. It was pretty much impossible- it was everywhere around them. "How are we expected to find anything in these conditions?"

"Cornelia, creating these conditions was the only way to deal with the plague!"- her friend retorted. "If it wasn't for the snow, the insects would've caused mass panic and whatnot in the city!"

"I get that, but how are we supposed to find the so-called source of this plague without Will, is beyond me!"- Cornelia didn't back down. "The Heart is what felt the danger hanging above Heatherfield in the first place. It's the only radar that can lead us to the primary cause for this travesty!"

At that, Taranee didn't reply at once. She had to give it to Cornelia, she knew how to make a point. And even when she argued, it was usually only because she was always looking for the most straight-forward, rational, and clear-cut way to proceed. But unfortunately, their tasks as guardians often lessened any such possibility. They had to take risks and chances and always make their way, even through the most unlikely situations.

"Perhaps there is another way to get to the causer. If whatever sends all these insects on enthralled swarms is in the boundaries of the city, I'll get us to it."

"How?"- Cornelia snapped, struggling to keep closer to Taranee's fire ellipse, desperate to hide from the blizzard's ice wind. The guardian suit protected her from freezing, but not from the nasty feeling that the cold brought with itself.

"Heat Senses."- the other guardian retorted shortly, but firmly. "If heat-sensing can sense the presence of living beings, it should as well be able to pinpoint the exact place from where all the swarms start their way."

* * *

_**Meanwhile, back at the observatory...**_

"For our next song, we'll need a volunteer from the audience. You there, sir? Do you mind coming here in the front?"- Matt was _struggling_ to keep the people in the main hall of the observatory occupied by now.

Most of them had quickly grown bored of his improvised performing and their initial courtesy was speedily disappearing. The young artist hadn't expected anything different- most of the people present here we not in his target group by any means, he was just hoping that the girls would be able to handle the crisis sooner. As for the people in the main hall, they were here to enjoy and take pride in the spirit of Astrofest and the beauty of the skies... Not in that of his songs, as Zacharias made it clear:

"Enough is enough. We're not here for a pop-rock concert, young man. This is my grandson's first Astrofest and I respect his decision to make his friends a part of the program, but this has been going on for almost an entire hour now. We have to discontinue the singing, have a few last words with our guests and let them go. The observatory needs to get ready for the following day too, after all!"

Matt moved his eyes from the elderly man to Caleb, who just shook his head firmly. They couldn't let the girls down now, and the other guys knew it too, that was why Martin took the initiative by walking to the front and replying to the old astronomer:

"Mr. Lyndon, that might not be possible."- he approached Zacharias with his phone in hand. "There's a wild blizzard out in Heatherfield. It probably is a bad idea to let all the guests out in a moment like this, am I right?"

"A blizzard?"-Zacharias exclaimed in disbelief, then he adjusted his glasses and took a look at Martin's smartphone's screen.

"It's all over the news!"

"A white arras wraps around Heatherfield, woven from the threads of water and air, met to stop the greater evil. A miraculous blizzard takes the city by surprise! Stay tuned for the latest news surrounding this meteorological phenomenon."

"Reporters these days."- Zacharias's son, Charles, shook his head as he stood alongside his father. "That doesn't even sound like a properly written article. A 'white arras', who says that? Dad, maybe we should offer the rest of the observatory to our guest's disposal until the blizzard subsides? And maybe reschedule tomorrow's as a part of the program?"

But Zacharias was no longer listening. He looked lost somewhere between reading the article from Martin's phone and coming to realize it.

"Dad?"

"Yes, Charles. Of course."- the mustached man replied, although he was obviously not assimilating his son's words. "Would you all excuse me, please? I have an urgent thing to scrutinize."- Martin caught his phone in the last minute before it hit the floor, as the old man bolted right through the doors of the main hall, which Will had just unlocked to use, remaining oblivious to the fact that they have ever been locked.

"Oh, great."- Charles murmured, scratching his blond beard. "First Louise and Eric disappeared now my father has a tantrum...This Astrofest is just disaste- Everyone, just remain calm."- he quickly changed the tune once he noticed a reporter approach him. "The blizzard had us by surprise, but everything will surely finish finely. Follow me please, I'll show you to a more suitable sitting area."

"What is Mr. Lyndon talking about?"- Will demanded, as she lined up with Caleb and the other men from their circle. "Louise exited the room? How the hell is that possible, we locked this place up before rushing to fight off the bugs?"

"Louise exited the room?!"- Caleb repeated and looked around the hall that was being emptied at fast speeds. All the people were going after Eric's dad.

Martin, Peter and Nigel did the same and then looked at each other with worried expressions.

"There's another door behind that sculpture."- Julian and Cassidy announced as they came from the other end of the spacious hall. "We couldn't have known-"

"The bigger question is why would she sneak out like that."- Cassidy looked up with concern written on her face, as everyone gathered around Will.

"She probably went after Eric- "- Matt deducted and bit his lip. "But if that is so..."

"...She might run into Yan Lin and Nerissa, who are currently taking care of his body. And that's a _terrible_ possibility."

"Oh, no! We must warn them!"- the former Water guardian decided and started attempts to contact her friends by telepathy.

"I beg your pardon?! _His body_?"

"Yeah, do that, Cassidy. He... Eric was stung by bees."- Will finished grimly and specified as to answer Nigel's shocked exclamation. "I sent the girls to take care of the swarms around the city, the blizzard was created by them."

"But who did this, Will?"- Cassidy once again asked the question everyone had in mind. "Phobos?"

"Everything's possible."- the redhead murmured. "Right now, we shouldn't sit around and play the guessing game. I better go out and help the others. Heatherfield has to remain oblivious to this plague of insects, but the blizzard won't go on forever. Once the weather normalizes, new swarms may return. We need to find the source of their power here in the city."

Everyone went silent for a few long seconds.

"Well, shit."- Peter said. "Good thing its December then. Because that blizzard would've been a crazy sight during summer- "

"Will? What are you all doing still here?"

"Oh no-"

Her friends cleared the way to her, as Will suppressed the desire to slap her own forehead. Her mother was coming right their way with her handbag swinging on her left wrist, and Dean's wrist over her right one.

"Well? Come on, Charles said he'd take us to a sitting area."- Susan reminded the group. "We better go there and get something warm to drink as we wait for this ghastly blizzard to die down. Hey, where are the other girls?"

Matt and Will looked at each other.

"Well, actually, Susan, we volunteered to help Eric with some things in his wing."- the dark-haired man began before his girlfriend could. "The others will join us momentarily, they're just...off to get some refreshments from the cafeteria."

Susan looked at him rather incredulously, but as everyone else nodded innocently, she couldn't insist. After all, they weren't kids anymore.

"Fine, but you at least come with us, Cassidy. You're pregnant! You need to sit down."

And as Susan obviously wasn't going to retreat without dragging someone along, Peter nodded and prompted his girlfriend to follow her. Cassidy didn't look too convicted at first. She was too worried about not being able to contact Nerissa and Yan Lin, but in the end, she reconciled. Maybe whilst sitting she'd be able to establish a better telepathic connection.

Once her mother and stepfather had walked out of the main hall, Will turned to her friends with a firm expression on her face and last words:

"Alright, guys. Trek the observatory and offer your assistance to Mrs. Lin and Nerissa. I'll meet up with the other guardians and we'll be in touch. Matt, keep your phone's sound on. Something tells me that we're far from over with today's crisis."

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this, Yan Lin?"- Nerissa asked as she watched her friend haste around the bedroom. "I'm just asking you because I know you and I know that what you're striving to do will leave its marks on your soul. You cannot handle darkness, old friend. You never could."

"It has to be done, Nerissa. Louise is going to cause major disbalance not only in Hay Lin's relationship with Eric but also in Heatherfield... She is one of these people who have forced Earth to forget magic in the first place. She needs to forget."- Yan Lin sighed as she made her way to the bed where they had placed Louise.

Thankfully, she had had a doze of forgetting potion at her disposal back in the Silver Dragon, which she had been able to teletransport in her hands. Now remained the hardest thing to be done- the ex-guardian was about to inject the potion in Eric's mother's veins and terminate her memories from the past couple of hours... But that was easier to be said than done.

Yan Lin could feel her hands shaking with the brand-new, unopened syringe and needle in them. Her friend was right and she knew it. She was letting her emotions take the better of her and were about to expose her heart to darkness with what she was about to commit- a transgression against this woman's memories. She had only done this once and it had been to save her family and marriage. Now she was about to do it again to save the same things, but for her granddaughter.

"I'm not saying that it shouldn't be done."- Nerissa's voice attracted her glance. "All I'm saying is that I'm worried about you. This might result in badllier consequences for you rather than for me. Let me do it. Why tarnish your perfect file in front of Kandrakar when I'm here?"

Yan Lin couldn't hide her smile, despite her own nervousness. Nerissa was looking at her, with arms on her chest, and a seldom-seen sight- her piercing green eyes hid no back emotion; not even a hint of her usual playful mockery or belittling light. She was looking back at her friend with nothing but concern and sincere desire to help, and that was one of these moments that helped Yan Lin believe that serving Kandrakar had never been in vain.

"Nah, I will handle this on my own. You're done with taking all the blame for everything that happens, I already told you that post your smoking of the peace pipe with Kadma and Halinor. Take the time to revel in your second youth and family, and stay away from darkness yourself, Nerissa."- and the old lady stroke the other woman's cheek with mother-like affection.

Nerissa smiled in response but couldn't shake off of the bad feeling as she watched her friend proceeding to inject the potion in Louise's veins. But in the same time, she considered her words to make sense. Maybe the wisdom of the east _was_ unlimited...

The sudden noise at the door that they heard, just when Yan Lin had successfully injected the lying woman, made both her and Nerissa flinch, but the former Air guardian managed to grab a hold of the former keeper's wrist and turn them both invisible before the door of Charles and Louise's bedroom opened...

"Julian!"- his wife's sudden exclamation of relief made the newly entered man look around himself in bewilderment.

"Nerissa?"- he almost whispered. "I had the feeling that you might be here."- he focused his dark orbs on the two women who became visible again. Yan Lin looked visibly drained and out of breath from using magic and had to lean on her friend's shoulder.

"What is she-"

"It's a long story, but Louise is out of harm's way."- Nerissa answered as she felt the man's gaze shifting to the woman on the bed.

"Never mind."- Julian sighed. "We must disappear from here; Charles is headed this way and I had to get here before him just in case. I'm glad that I did, but now we must hurry."

"You did well."- Nerissa agreed as she fondled his face and had him hold Yan Lin from her other side. "Our telepathic channels are almost unavailable for some reason, I could sense Cassidy trying to make contact, but I never made her words out."

"I'll explain on the go."- her husband nodded and the three of them left the room, closing the door behind themselves.

For almost a minute, complete silence reigned over the room and then, then, Louise's hand moved. She moved and took her phone from the glass nightstand where her two shanghaiers had left it to make their story look more believable...

* * *

**_Meanwhile, above the city..._**

"Will!"- Taranee exclaimed when she made the image of her friend flying towards them. "In here Will, the source of the plague is here!"

Her heat-sensing had led them to the source of the swarms, an abandoned supermarket near the end of town. Ever since she and Cornelia had arrived, they had managed to tip off Hay Lin and Irma, and then Will. The last ten minutes after that, the four guardians had spent in attempts to shut down the source in vain. Whatever they threw at the old building, gave no results whatsoever. Countless swarms of pests and poisonous insects flew out to hinder them and return the blow, forcing them to much rather defend themselves than attack the center of the nest.

Will blinked in shock as she entered Hay Lin's circle, where the blizzard no longer prevailed. That sure was a welcome change, apparently, her friends had altered the storm into a veil of their own liking, keeping the icy winds and snows around them rather than all over them, and hiding the supposed battle they were having with the swarms from curious eyes- the blizzard's curtains made them completely undetectable from outside the water and air guardians' range.

"What the..."- the redhead couldn't continue because she was sucked inside Taranee's fire sphere-shield.

"Welcome to the heart of the blizzard, babe."- Irma greeted her sourly as she and Hay Lin, visibly tired from the mass spell of the blizzard which they had to keep up, hid behind Taranee and her protective fires. "Any suggestions regarding the termination of these hideous creatures are welcome."

"We managed to find their nest and limit the swarms to here with the help of the blizzard, but we can't hit them directly and cease them for good."- Taranee burst into explanatory mode. "We can't do much, Will! Hay Lin and Irma can't attack because their energy is focused on the blizzard which is the only thing to hide what's going on from the civilians and hinder the bugs from attacking the city again!"

"Neither can Taranee, she has to keep a shield around us, otherwise we'll get eaten by those monsters!"- Cornelia raged, keeping herself closer to Irma. "I'm the only one who can launch an attack, but I can't just bring this place down before checking inside for any abducted civilians!"

"Then we have to get inside."- Will said firmly.

"Will, it's too risky! The insects spue through that very hole you want to use!"

"We have no other choice."- the redhead shook her head relentlessly. "Cornelia, give me your hand. We need to slit the swarms and make our way to the inside of the building! Quintessence!"

Cornelia did as she was told, even if a tad unwillingly. Their friends followed them with concerned glances from above, as the two guardians flew tantivy towards the open hole in the roof of the abandoned supermarket. At first, Will's turbine electric shield did its job nicely by repelling each and every next attack of the ruthless swarms, but then, just when she and Cornelia were about to go through the hole, four giant, hairy legs emerged from it and knocked them back.

"WILL!"- Hay Lin screamed. "CORNELIA!"

The shield was no more and the two women were now on their own, struggling to protect their faces from the insects which surrounded them with cruel buzzing. In the fit of the moment, terrified and appalled, Cornelia crushed the roof down, sending the giant spider that had pushed them back, to fall down into darkness.

"Cornelia!"- Taranee scolded her from above. "What are you doing? Did you forget about the people down there? I can sense at least two body heats, different from those of the insects!"

'She just made more space for the gnats to fly out through!"- Irma barked. "We're trying to keep them in and she's sending them free! Shee- "

"You try flying with these freakish creatures!"- Cornelia snapped at them. "Besides, if there really are innocent people in that building, trapping them inside with all these insects won't do much help!"

_A point well taken_, Taranee sighed and was just going to send a fire tentacle to save her two friends from the open and the swarms' wraith when the blonde took things in her hands.

She had always been keen on being most powerful and now she was about to prove it yet again- while Will was struggling to repel the enemy with her bolts, Cornelia created a strong telekinetic forcefield which she forced on the place of the destroyed roof, stopping the swarms from emerging. Once the constant flood of wings and stings was taken care of, Will blasted at the remaining free insects, taking them down.

"There! Is that what you wanted? They can't fly out anymore."- Cornelia said crossly, once the air around them finally cleared out from the horrific wheezing. "Now think of how to get these two 'different body heats' out of that hellhole!"

The girls all grew quiet for a few seconds, each thinking of a proper way to suggest, but whether because of the tiredness or the despair, none of them seemed to be able to come up with a good idea.

"Wait a minute, I'm picking on something."- Taranee suddenly said. " It's so strong- "

"What, an enlightening from the skies?"- but Irma didn't have time to finish her remark because in the next moment they were all able to hear the voice in their minds:

_\- Girls! Girls, oh finally I managed to reach you! Thank God, I thought I was going totally useless by now-_

\- Cassidy?

_\- Yes, it's me! Listen, I have Halinor here, she helped us restore our telepathic channels._

_\- Good day, girls._ \- Halinor's voice tuned in.- _Sometimes the lack of harmony affects even our telepathy. One of us is going through inner turmoil right now, larger than what's usually endured, large enough to disrupt the harmony. But worry not, I'm here and it's all under good control._

\- Alright, but why are you calling in the first place? - Irma's voice sounded a bit snappily. We're kind of in the middle of a dire bug attack, so unless you have the number of a very good exterminator...

-_ We do_. - Nerissa interfered. -_ Listen, guardians. What you're dealing with might just be Song Ho, who I believe you remember. She takes much more zeal and creativity to be stopped, so forget about your standard attacks and listen to me._

\- Huh? - Will didn't understand. - I thought I heard you and Mrs. Lin talk about this and the Lake of the Willow... Wait a minute. - she realized.

\- The Cruel Empress! - Hay Lin nearly said it out loud. Song Ho had been her enemy during her very own leader's mission, following her grandmother's steps. How could she forget it...

\- It makes sense, this plague looks just like what her powers are capable of! - Taranee's thought came out as a loud exclamation.

-_ But how did Bug Queen escape Kandrakar?!_\- Cornelia wanted to know. - _We left her with the Oracle, how is this possible?!_

\- Isn't it obvious? He's all talk and no action, I thought you all knew what Orcly is like already. After all these years, I sure don't put my money on his 'imprisonment' skills. - Irma rolled her eyes.

-_ Yes, yes, all these are worthy questions, which we don't have the time for right now._ \- Nerissa cut them off in annoyance.

\- _You need to open your senses for us to be able to study your situation._ \- Halinor advised them. - _Open your senses and inner eye, you've all done that numerous times by now. Focus girls!_

The guardians followed the instructions and after a minute, just when Cornelia was starting to show signs of tiredness from holding the rough swarms under her telekinetic forcefield, Nerissa's voice echoed in their minds again:

\- _You can't consider this a stalemate. She's down there, what are you-_

\- There might be someone trapped in there with her. We can't take the building down. - Will said before the other woman could rebuke them for being feebleminded.

\- _Then take the blizzard in_.- Nerissa's voice demanded with newfound ardor. - _Guide the snow through the roof and congeal the heart of the bug's nest. You can't get through the emerging swarms on your own, but the blizzard can! Take the entire blizzard in that supermarket at once!"_

The five friends looked at each other. Hay Lin was just about to say something when they realized that the connection had died. They really needed to sort out this sudden new 'harmony' issue with CHYKN, but first, they had to take the Cruel Empress out of the picture.

"This might just work."- Taranee trailed. "Intensive cold is the only thing which humans can survive, but bugs won't. We should give it a try."

"If it's gonna finally take all that burden off our shoulders, I and Hay are willing to try with both hands."- Irma announced and got ready to wield the blizzard around them one last time.

* * *

"I have faith in the girls. They will defeat Song Ho. But unfortunately, that was all we could do to help them as for now."- Halinor said back in the observatory, where had teletransported upon being contacted by Cassidy and her request to stabilize the telepathic channels in their team, and respectively with the present guardians' team.

Alas, even though the former Fire guardian had done all she could, being hooked to the Heart of Zamballa herself, she hadn't succeeded in her task completely. The disbalance in the harmony was still there and as long as it remained, the malfunction in their telepathic connection would keep repeating itself.

"They will, I don't doubt that, but I am worried. I think that the disharmony comes from Yanny. She...she doesn't feel good."- Cassidy noted with arms crossed on her chest.

"She doesn't."- Nerissa agreed as they all moved their eyes to their eldest friend who sat in an armchair nearby, half asleep and half awake." The guilt for wiping that stick-up the ass scientist's memories is gnawing her. But it was inevitable, she heard too much for her own good. I said this would happen, hence I suggested to do this instead of Yan Lin, but alas. You all know how _inconvincible_ she can be."

"Oh, I can understand her completely."- Halinor shook her head with compassion. "I know better than anyone what fear can make us do and how even someone like Yan-Yan can surrender in front of it, under certain conditions. And while I completely understand her, I can also understand why the grip of guilt is clinging onto her. She'll need some time."

"Fear is a powerful thing."- Nerissa agreed. "But so is the need to help your own blood and flesh. Yan Lin did this for her granddaughter's sake! This equalizes her deed, doesn't it? She shouldn't feel guilt."

"Yes, Rissy, that's true, but you know that our Yan Lin has never gone off the right way. It's normal for her to take such a thing at heart."- Cassidy retorted. "You can justify nearly anything with that argument, but she's more..._genteel_. No offense..."

"No, none taken, I agree."- Nerissa looked around the busy sitting room. She prayed that the guardians would finish off with the blizzard sooner so that they could finally get away from the annoying crowd. "That's exactly why I suggested that I do it. I could've erased Louise's memory and be fine with it, but Yan Lin didn't want me to...take it all in, you see. I kind of assumed she is right, but maybe if I had insisted, she could have been better now."

"I don't think so, Nerissa."- Halinor said. "Just knowing that something like this has been done would've triggered Yan Lin's conscience, if you ask me. She'd have felt like an accomplice! But I find it sweet that you think of how to help her. You're being a great friend and I can't tell you how proud I am of you. I am so proud."

Nerissa could only smile stiffly as the blonde woman rubbed her shoulder amicably. Had everyone just teamed up on her today, trying to get her to reconsider her latest decision regarding Phobos and Elyon? The Universe _had_ to be testing her. The tall brunette growled mentally and just folded her arms on her chest. Keeping up with people's expectations was harder than she had already known it to be, but she couldn't bear to disappoint the very few who meant something to her, and that was that.  
_Well Elyon,_ she thought. _It appears that I have to resort to a different approach when it comes to your little role in the big game that I plan to check-mate your dead-beat brother in._

* * *

"Way to go, Blunk."- Caleb murmured mockingly, one hour post the guardians' return. "This time you almost got Heathefield eradicated. For real."

"It not Blunk's fault!"- the passling cried from the back seat. "Blunk bamboozled by con-business man! Must be one of Jeek's customers!"

"No, it must be Phobos."- Will said as she looked at her friends. She was in Cornelia's car together with the blonde herself, Caleb, Matt, Blunk and Julian.

Long story short, she and her friends had used the ex-guardians' advice to access the abandoned supermarket where they had battled Song Ho and the last of her swarms. It had turned out that Blunk had been her captive, waiting to be eaten by the enthralled insects. The battle with her Heavenly Majesty hadn't been too long or hard, because, to the girls' advantage, the ancient demoness hadn't had enough time to work her soldiers and truly bring the entire city down. When they had found her nest and the outbreak of the plague, it had been game over for her.

In the midst of her angry screams and cries over the fallen "new empire," the Empress had been stripped of her power yet again. This time, the girls had locked her up with the help of a The Heart, with a spell she could never again break. At least they hoped so. That being done, the situation in the city had been restored to normal and everyone had been set free to leave the observatory post the odd weather phenomenon, the only part of the truth the civilians were familiar with.

For the guardians and their allies, however, the bigger question remained even after the calamity had been taken care of:

"If Phobos needed our attention occupied, then he must have had a good reason."- Matt pondered. "He is up to something and he didn't want the guardians breathing in his neck, hence he threatened Heatherfield through this dirty trick. Trading Blunk a box with an ancient evil inside, that's in his style!"

"I'll check on the situation in Meridian the minute we get home."- Julian nodded with knitted brows. "Though I sincerely hope that he hasn't had the chance to go through the veil- "

"The veil is not enough to keep that jackass away."- Cornelia snorted from next to Will. "It's just a slight inconvenience for him and that moron Leonida."

"Unfortunately, I think so too."- the redhead admitted.

"On the bright side, Phobos didn't entirely win this round by managing to get his work done without our interference."- Caleb pointed out. "By tossing that trap in Blunk's hands, he betrayed himself. That proves that he is in fact, on Meridian, right?"

Will thought on his words, way too impressed that Caleb was able to find the bright sides of a topic which usually made him lose his temper, before deducting:

"Yeah...He might have someone working for him on Meridian, but I agree that the veil isn't secure enough. We drove Phobos and Leonida away from Coronia, and they lost their most convenient hiding spot. Them taking cover in Meridian next won't surprise me. After all, he does know the planet like the back of his palm."

"Then we shall organize groups to search for him and his companions."- Julian suggested. "We'll trek around the entire realm if we have to, in order to uncover Phobos's new hideout."

Everyone agreed on that. The blizzard was over and so was Song Ho. Blunk had finally calmed down and they were all set to leave the observatory's parking zone for good. Of course, Hay Lin had to come out of the observatory to join Peter, Cassidy, Halinor and Yan Lin before they could actually leave. Apparently, she was taking quite some time to tend to Eric's needs. Will smiled as she felt Matt take her hand in his and wink at her. She was just leaning to steal a kiss when Cornelia's voice drew her attention:

"What the heck is going on out there?"

The parking zone had suddenly turned into a place for deep and harsh words. Hay Lin looked as pale as a ghost when Eric practically dragged her to the center of the parking lot and set her hand free.

"Just answer me, Hay Lin."- the young man demanded, his voice colder than Will had ever heard it be. "Is it true?"

Just like their car door opened, so did that of Nigel's and Martin's car. Will looked around and met Taranee's glance which made her stomach turn around. Yes, something was about to take an ugly turn and they were all slowly coming to realize it.

"Hay Lin- "- Yan Lin attempted to rush to the younger Asian's side in distress, but Halinor stopped her in the last minute. The blonde shook her head albeit with pity, and Yan Lin knew that she was right. Her granddaughter had to go through this on her own.

"Y-yes, Eric. It's true."- Hay Lin said in that minute. Her voice was shaking, but her expression was firm as she met her boyfriend's almost shocked eyes.

Eric knitted his eyebrows and walked his eyes around everyone that had their eyes on them.

"It's OK."- Hay Lin said flatly. "You can talk. They know."

"All of them know?"- Eric repeated incredulously, stopping his eyes on Nigel and Martin who immediately looked down. They weren't sure, but a part of them knew what their long-time friend was talking about. Eric shook his head, aggravated. He wasn't even about to go for Caleb or Matt. Although they were good friends of his, he could never see them going against their girlfriends' word. So many things were clearing up to him now, yet so many were still in the fog. His burning anger was what prevailed:

"Yes."- Hay Lin said with a deep sigh. "But things are not exactly like your mom has perceived them- "

"Really?"- Eric interrupted her angrily. "You mean that your grandmother and her friend didn't knock her out and you didn't hide the fact that you have some sort of special powers from me, for years? _All_ of you!"

\- _Okay what the hell?!_\- Irma's telepathic voice screamed. - _I thought that Hay Lin was going to reveal her secret to Eric and only Eric, how the hell did Mrs. Lyndon get to know? When did all this happen?!_

\- _We don't know, Irma_. - Cornelia snapped and threw her a rebuking glare from her car. - _Shut up and listen._

-_ Maybe Louise accidentally overheard while all the madness with the swarms was taking place_. - Will suddenly realized and slapped her forehead. She was just glad that her mother and Dean had left before this scene they were all witnessing now.

\- _Exactly_. -Taranee said from the other side where she stood next to her ashamed boyfriend. The situation was hard on everyone and that was for sure. Of all of them, Hay Lin had been the one who deserved her secret to be revealed like that the least, but by the law of Murphy, she was now to suffer. And they couldn't even do anything to help her at that moment. - _Hay Lin gave me a disclosure while Eric was confronting her inside. He confronted her with a video his mother recorded right before the forgetting potion Mrs. Lin and Nerissa gave her, kicked in. You see, she witnessed the entire battle scene with the swarms upstairs. But we underestimated her._

"Eric, please! I wanted to tell you earlier, but I couldn't gather the courage"- Hay Lin begged. "In fact, that was what I was going to tell you before you blacked out because of the insect attack and the bees that stung you. I swear, I've never wanted to cause you or your mom any pain, you know me-"

"I thought I know you."- Eric cut her off. "But today I was shown that's not true. You've done nothing but deceive over the last ten years. Why, Hay Lin? Why did you do this to me?!"

"Eric!"- the woman gasped on the verge of tears. "I would never- "

"Enough, Hay Lin."- he stopped her and turned his back on her. "I can't do this if there's no trust and honesty between us. Don't talk to me, OK? I'm not up from another lie."

"You can't seriously think of me like that, in spite of everything!"- The Air guardian almost screamed after him, feeling all eyes on herself. "You can't believe that I or my friends have ever had ill intentions!"

"I thought that we were different from the others, Hay Lin."- Eric threw her a look over his shoulder. A look she'd never forget. "I thought that our relationship was special. But finding out that you haven't had enough trust in me to confide me to your secrets, breaks my heart. You broke my heart! Of what importance are your intentions if you needed so much time to decide to make them known? Huh? And in the end, you still couldn't. I can't go on like that."

Her darn ability to sense lies had never been a gift she liked and it often didn't work properly, but this time, Hay Lin felt it clearly.

"Eric...what are you saying?"- she asked in a tiny voice.

"I'm not saying anything. You didn't, did you? I need time."

He left the scene and Hay Lin felt her heart crumble. She couldn't hold the tears in any longer. Her biggest fear had come true, exceeding all her worst expectations. Her knees hit the snow-covered ground and she gave will to her sadness. Her relationship was hanging on strings which any stronger gust of the wind could tear apart.

"It's going to be alright, Hay Lin. Everything is going to be fine! He loves you."- Cornelia and Will were the first to kneel to her level and try to comfort her.

"Forget about being in a blue funk, babe! He's just angry, he said it- he needs the time, but that shouldn't discourage you!"- Irma and Taranee were next.

The boys kept their distance, she didn't expect them to burst into tears because of her relationship struggles, but her grandmother also stood aside and Hay Lin knew why. As her four best friends were comforting her, the young woman looked up and for a second their eyes met, but Yan Lin was quick to look away. She could feel in the air, just like her granddaughter. For the first time in her life, Hay Lin felt resentment towards her grandmother, and she didn't like it one bit.

* * *

**_Evening time on Meridian..._**

"I'd like to have a word with the Queen. In private."

"Again?"- Miriadel cocked an eyebrow and looked at her husband who just shrugged as if he was saying 'she is Mage, isn't she'.

_You may have accepted her as an alley, Alborn, but after getting fooled by this woman so many times, I'm never going to trust her completely_.  
The redhead frowned in an unshowy way and then just moved aside.

"She's in the dining room."

"Alone?"- Nerissa managed to smirk, even though her mood had gone south long ago during that particular day.

"If we're here and Galgheita is...well, on Kandrakar, and her friends aren't here, who could Elyon possibly be with."- Miriadel said, crossing her arms on her chest. "The castle staff and guards? They all flee when they see you, anyway. Raythor is the only one who doesn't appear to be intimidated by your presence."

The black-haired woman's smirk intensified a tad at the mentioning at that.

"Oh, I don't think I'm that intimidating."- she declared.

"No?"- Miriadel tilted her head and looked at her from under the pocking grimace of her eyebrows.

"It's just...my entire bearing awakens the respect in others."

Nerissa's justifications of her own attitude and deeds were always riveting and even comical at times, but not for Miriadel. She knew she had a thing to keep in mind when it came to dealing with their former enemy, who by the likes of it, was never going to be a friend either. Not to her, at least. Even if she couldn't brag about being able to see through Nerissa's act, the army captain knew better than to fall for her charming deliverances and remarks.

"Call it whatever you want."- she and her husband proceeded to walk away.

"We just had dinner, but I'm sure that if it is so urgent, Elyon will hear you out before heading to her chambers."- Alborn added. "You don't have to ask us."

"Yes. Because we do not need you false courtesy."- Miriadel pepped his sentence up.

Nerissa frowned as she watched them leave. She wasn't going to let them have the last word like that.

"Oh, I was simply asking because now that her fiancé visits her in her chambers at night, he might be here for dinner first."

_"What?!"_

Nerissa only smiled but decided not to gloat. She had a hard-enough task as it was.

"What did you say?"- Miriadel stood in her way in a demanding fashion." Prince Andan and Elyon have been.._.canoodling?_ But when..."

"My time here is limited and I certainly don't plan to waste it on something as trivial, which you can easily talk about with your daughter on your _own_."- the sorceress said coldly. "But as far as I'm concerned, the fact that she and her little fiancé are already lovers is a happy occasion. You go open yourselves a fine bottle from the winery and leave me and her Highness in private."

Miriadel and Alborn exchanged last bedazzled glances before finally leaving the hallway for good. Nerissa waited to see them disappear behind the last turn and then tossed her long hair to the back, bracing herself for one of the hardest things she had yet to do. Negotiations with the Queen, in specie.

When she walked in the well-known dining room, she saw the young straw-blonde sitting at the end of the table, munching on some sort of dessert.

"Good evening, Queenlet. How have you been?"

"Oh, I thought it was you."- Elyon replied, once she lifted her eyes up. "None of my friends have come with you, by any chance, have they? Never mind...get down to business, you don't have to pretend you take great interest in my well-being."

Her voice sounded glummer than usual. Nerissa studied her minutely before going on:

"Well, normally I'd say that your friends don't care to come and see you, but this time they couldn't even if they wanted. Even I have limited time here. You see, there was an unpleasant situation on Earth today. Cheerful little Hay Lin was at a biggest disadvantage and so way Yanny, thus I must make sure she's fine."

"A situation?"- Elyon straightened her back in alert. "What kind of situation? Are Hay Lin and Yan Lin alright?"

Nerissa didn't retort immediately, she sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

"Frankly, I don't know. Not in detail, at least. But we have high reasons to think that your brother caused this crisis, which did quite some damage to Hay Lin's relationship, even if the guardians could defuse the actual threat, _almost_ on time... It'll take too much time to explain, but yes, the damage done did work to Phobos's advantage. He has needed to be unbothered as he proceeds to deal with some unknown business if you ask me and your friends. He starts to slip away again, Elyon, and I don't like that one bit. Whatever your brother does now, he will not find peace before he has received what all that he wants, and in the humblest case, that will be your kingdom. And all who reside in it."

Elyon frowned and looked down. An almost defeated look.

"And there's that Leonida too."- she murmured. "God knows what that psycho actually wants; it can't be Phobos's love."

"Yes, I think so too."- Nerissa crossed her arms on her chest. "But before she has got the chance to show her true colors and motives, your brother must trip. If he fails to achieve his goals, the little bitch won't get the needed easel to paint her perceptions and desires."

"I'd give anything to see him trip."- Elyon declared, hitting the surface of the long table with her fists. "Phobos has done nothing but defame our family and hurt me and all our people. He killed our parents... Now he's on a new conquest to bring annihilation...I never should've been so mild with him."

The monarch lifted her red eyes up at the silent sorceress. Red from weeping, they were, as Elyon couldn't control her emotions anymore. As usual, it was all too much of a burden for her shoulders. She desperately needed someone to share this with her.

"Come on, you can say it."- the young woman said in a lorn voice. "You can say that I sentenced Phobos too mildly, that I should've at least put him in the Tower of Mists if not kill him, as you so repeatedly suggested. Gloat that you were right when you came to me on the night before your Mage ball and that I got it all wrong again. Say that I'm to be blamed for Phobos's escape."- she wiped her eyes, but she was already shaking. "Because you wouldn't be wrong."- she whispered. "It is all my fault."

Nerissa debated on what to say yet again. Ever since Galgheita's fate had gotten the best of her, Elyon had become even weaker and even more miserable than she had been before. She was so pathetic now; she didn't even annoy her. Nerissa sighed silently as she observed the young Queen's display of true misery.  
She didn't know what it was, but for the first time in a long time, she couldn't find a reason to hate the whelp, who usually eluded them reasons without any difficulty...

The ex-guardian could bring a little comfort to this girl with just a few words, but she had to put her to one last test first. _In the name of Meridan and my word to Caleb_, Nerissa thought. _Sacrifices must be done. Besides, after a good outcome, all this might just help the Whelp to grow as a person and a ruler. Who knows...Maybe one day, she'll thank me for putting her life at stake in the name of something greater._

"Even I have a heart, Elyon."- Nerissa said, after what felt like an eternity of awkward silence. "You may not believe that, but I don't feel like gloating when you're obviously about to fall apart due to your silly despair. Where's the fun in that? Man up! You're too young to act like a widowed gammer on her death bed."

"And you're supposed to be too old to be flashing your tits like that, but there you are, pulling off that corset better than I'll ever be able to!"- Elyon snapped as she rubbed the tears off her cheeks. She hated crying, but she couldn't help it. Even Nerissa looked down at her with pity now. Great. How worse could she get!

Nerissa smirked and threw her one of her playful, little lash-flickering glances.

"There, that's more like it. Now if you really are willing to do _anything_ to solve Meridian's problems, which I highly doubt that you are, I might just have a...suggestion."

"A suggestion how to put an end to my brother's evil?"- Elyon pepped up. "Why wouldn't I be up for it? Tell me everything! I said I'll do anything it takes to see Phobos trip for good, and I meant it!"

The ex-guardian eyed her distrustfully, though this newfound ardor did give the Queen a new glow. She didn't look as despondent anymore, she looked decisive! Which gave Nerissa the slightest hope that her plan would work out...

"I don't think that you'll agree with my plan, because it is dangerous. Dangerous for you, that is. You may end up much worse than you imagine, after it all happens, Queenlet, and I don't want your _eventual demise_ to be put on my file...Not anymore, at least."

"It won't because you'll have my consent. It'll be my personal choice."- Elyon declared standing up from her seat. "But I want to know everything, Nerissa. I want to know that my brother's days of evil will be over, even if mine is over before that. Tell me everything."

Nerissa blinked almost surprised as the other woman approached her.

"You do realize that no one should know about this if you actually decide on it, don't you- "

"I absolutely do, and I already have decided. So just tell me how do we defeat Phobos."

"You actually trust me enough to put your own life at stake?"

"I trust you enough to know that your plans seldom fail. And my life sounds like a guarantee big enough that whatever we do against my brother will do the job. So just tell me already! Tell me everything!"

This was better than she had imagined it. The ex-guardian felt her heart tremble inside. She even got the Queen's consent, she wouldn't have to even be remorseful if something went wrong for Elyon in the end...But then, why did she feel the need to keep dissuading the straw-blonde?

"I shall tell you, but think wisely before you accept the offer. You're still too young, your life is in front of you. Think of everything you'll miss if something happens to you in the course of your brother's terminal dethroning... Wouldn't it be too sad for that sick tyrant to take the Light of Meridian to the grave with himself?"

"Do I look like someone who enjoys the life they have?"- Elyon asked seriously, locking eyes with the sorceress. The lights in the dining room were suddenly dimmer. For the first time in a long time, the Queen's decisiveness was unshakable. "Yes, I'm young. Yes, I have a lot of things to do, but before everything, I'm the Queen of Meridian. I've already failed my people enough times...If the light must be extinguished for the darkness to be dispelled, then so be it. I'm ready."

Yes, for the first time in actuality, the daughter of Weira actually reminded the ex-keeper of Weira herself. Entirely. She couldn't stop her smile spreading, despite the unfound and, completely new for her, concern regarding the Queen.

_Congratulations, little Elyon_, Nerissa thought, bearing no grudge towards the young woman for the first time in her life. _You just took your corrective moral test with honors._

* * *

_A/N: _**Tell me how you liked the second part of "There's Something Gruesome in the Air" :)**  
**Stay safe and healthy, and I'll see u all very soon**  
_xoxo, jimelization_


	16. Open Wounds&Red-Letters

**_Chapter 16: Open wounds&Red-letters_**

_My heart cannot be, without you under the star sea,  
I want you and just you, my open wound._

* * *

Joan Lin watched her daughter carry the last of her suitcases out the door of her childhood bedroom. She didn't know what it was, but something about Hay Lin's sudden resolve gave her funny feelings. Yes, she was aware that her daughter had wanted to move out for the longest time, but she couldn't wrap her mind around why she had so firmly decided on it now, right before her so favorite western holiday season.

Yes, Joan had the intelligence of an average woman with secondary education, who had come to the states at the age of 15, but her instincts were strong. And her instincts right now were telling her that something had happened in her daughter's life, and it wasn't necessarily a happy occasion.

She knew Chen refused to come out of the kitchen to see Hay Lin out, unable to cope with the fact that she was a fully-grown young lady. Her mother-in-law was also nowhere to be seen, which Joan found a tad odd, but didn't have time to think about. She had to follow her only child and see her leave their family nest. It was a bittersweet moment. But that funny feeling refused to leave her and when the mother saw the car parked in front of their restaurant, she had to speak up:

"Hay Lin? I thought you were moving in with Eric?"

Martin looked over at his girlfriend, but Irma didn't lose time. While Hay Lin remained completely motionless, she took the initiative to sweet-talk the older woman, or much rather just _outtalk_ her:

"Yeaaah, Mrs. Lin, Hay Lin is coming to live with us for a while, it's a long story, really, we shouldn't go in circles, trying to wrap our minds around it. Especially you! Gosh darn it, it would take you forever to understand the situation. Not that I'm saying that you're a half-wit or something. You're totally the _brain_ in your marriage, but you couldn't make it to the observatory the other day and hence you couldn't have known- "

"Thank God for that."- Martin murmured under his nose, as he put Hay Lin's luggage in the truck.

Irma turned around to shoot a poisonous glare at him before going on:

"...but due to the whole entire Astrofest hullabaloo, it just wouldn't be convenient for anyone if Hay Lin moved in. Right now, I mean. She'll spend some time with us, then she'll gladly be accepted in the Lyndons' family home!"

The light snow was falling above the city. The low afternoon sun was hidden behind thick clouds and Hay Lin wished that what her friend was lying about would actually someday happen; three days had passed already though. Eric was still taking his time after the iceberg of bad-timed revelations, turns of events and unpleasantness in general, that had come between them, had threatened to destroy their relationship for good. Three days weren't that much time, but her heart was in pain the entire time, making the air guardian feel each and every minute spent away from the man she loved, like eternity.

"Alright then."- Joan spoke, though, by her expression, Irma didn't exactly believe she was buying it. "Hay Lin, my sweet child. Bye. Go on your way and remember that wherever life takes you, you'll always be welcome here with us. In our first home. Love you, sweetie."

Her mother's hug almost had her emotions overpower her again, but somehow the young woman managed to bid her goodbyes without bursting into tears. Hay Lin got in Martin's car and they soon drove off the familiar street, heading for the man's apartment nearby. A living space that he and Irma shared.

'43, Linden Street', on which Martin's apartment building was located, the first residence he had bought for himself with his own money a few years back, wasn't that far away from the Silver Dragon, yet her friends had come to pick her up with the car in accordance with the transportation of her suitcases, and Hay Lin was grateful for it. She really appreciated all their support and love, yet that wouldn't make her feel better. Not before her relations with Eric were mended.

"Thanks, guys."- she said quietly from the back seat. "Thanks for having a mess like me live with you for a while."

"Ahh, don't mention it. What are friends for?"- Martin smiled at her in the back-view mirror.

"Don't get any sillier, Hay-Hay."- Irma exclaimed. "We're gonna get you on your feet, you'll see. Very soon everything will be as it was, even better than that! Very soon your beau will make you the happiest woman in Heatherfield, which you deserve to be! This is just a temporary down in your rollercoaster adventure of a life. Listen to your aunt Irma."

Hay Lin fought to smile back, albeit faintly. Yes, she appreciated all her friends' efforts, but she didn't believe they were worth it. Her heart was lamenting.

* * *

Leonida flipped her hair and smiled mischievously, having felt a pair of violet-gray eyes on herself. The shapeshifter had just returned in their hideaway, taking the hood of his brown cloak down. Their eyes met for a second and he could instantly feel the spark of hatred ignite in his stomach. Who did this bimbo think she was, lounging around, acting like the future Queen of the United Dimensions? He was going to dispose of her long before the power was to come to his master's hands...

"Report, shifter."- the princess ordered as she crossed her feet on a tabouret in front of her seat. "What's it like out in Meridian today?"

Cedric frowned:

"Where's the Prince?"

"Don't dodge the question now."- the honey-haired woman suddenly stood up with a sly smirk. "Phobos is out and about, minding his own business. He said he had something to attend to and that you must report to me if he's still out by the time you return- "

"What?!'- Cedric interrupted her angrily. "Take no offense, but are you dense?! How could you let Prince Phobos wander out alone, when you know all too well, that it's too dangerous for him to be out of this hideout! "

"He's not my slave, he's my King. I can't order him what to do! He can take care of himself."- Leonida clenched her teeth. "Now report."

"You have your way with acts, Princess Leonida, I'll give you that."- the man hissed hatefully. "But you know what I think? I think that you're indifferent to the prince's fate now that you have what you wanted from him! I already did report, in case you didn't hear me! The rebels and the castle guards are jaunting through the entire realm! I swear if something is to happen to Phobos, I'll-"

"Devour him whole again and steal his power?"- Leonida cut him off offhandedly. "I know you two had your word back in the Hidden Mansion, but before that, you weren't at all interested in joining him. So, don't act all so loyal, Lord Cedric. You're the one who deserves to be treated like a suspect when it comes to our plans. "- her eyes shone dangerously. "And I plan on treating you like that from now on."

Cedric felt a cold shiver run down his spine. No, he wasn't going to blow up his cover and fall for that darned woman's tricks. He just had to endure her for another week or so. Then she was going to be out of the picture...

Upon returning victorious from the Gardens of Myrna, assured that she is carrying a female fetus, Leonida had remained suspiciously quiet. And while his Liege was in transports of delight, the dethroned princess was too collected for Cedric's liking. He knew he had to keep an eye on her and avoid getting into direct conflicts. But how could Phobos believe that this girl loved him for real, was beyond him. Her love was as inauthentic as his brotherly affection for Elyon. If not even _more_. She was such a two-timing snake in the grass, and for him to make that conclusion really meant something. But regardless, Cedric couldn't read her motives out completely.

_The wedding shall be the end of your game_, he thought, pinning his eyes on her. _The end of your game will be the last day of my concerns._

The tall man turned his back on her and headed for his tiny room in the hideout they shared. He could feel the princess's smug glance burning the back of his head. Tension was in the air, but one serious question remained- where had the Prince gone to all by himself?

* * *

**_The Scarlet Citadel, Arkhanta_**

"Excuse me, Prince Phillip, but I fail to understand your proposal."- the well-built, dark blue-haired man in royal robes said, firmly setting his mug down on the massive table.

When Ari of Arkantha accepted the unknown prince from a far-flung realm, he had never expected to receive such an odd proposal. Or such disturbing news. But life had often surprised him in the least favorable ways, thus the ruler wasn't in a hurry to write all that he had just heard off.

The man in front of him claimed to be some distant aspirant to the Coronian throne, who had never had the chance to come to rule. Coronia was a realm Ari barely knew of, but its people definitely weren't hedging their bets.

"It's quite delicate, yes, your Majesty, but it's the only way for Arkantha to survive the upcoming changes. Once Meridian and Coronia unite under one ruling hand, they'll be the dominant force in this galaxy corridor. Meridian is already a nodal point, what do you think is to happen once it recruits all these other worlds around itself? Your kingdom will wither and will be robbed of all the mystic power and riches it possesses."

"Meridian is currently quarantined."- Ari objected with a cocked eyebrow. "Besides, this... United Dimensions' idea. Who's even considering it? It sounds like something to be born from a deranged person's brain!"

Prince Phillip smiled somewhat aberrantly.

"Oh, the veil is just a façade established by Kandrakar. Kandrakar doesn't want you or any of the other realms in Meridian's districts to know of their plans. They're handing mystical contracts only to those of interest to them. As I already told you, I'm trying to gather as many allies as I can, simply to provide them with contracts. The Union is inevitable, King Ari, it's much better for you and all the other worlds in Metamoor's range to be a legal part of it, instead of being enslaved by Kandrakar and their pawns later on, wouldn't you agree? As for the crazy idea of the Union itself, I wouldn't be surprised. After all, the Mage of Meridian is a very dangerous woman whose ideas of politics have always been quite bizarre. Ever since she attempted to conquer the entire Universe the first time-"

"I beg your pardon?"- Ari exclaimed.

Phillip smiled. _I knew I'd eventually catch your attention, Ari of Arkantha._

"Really? Did you not know that, your Majesty? I feel terrible for you. Obviously, Kandrakar still likes to keep things from you. Even when it's one absolute right to be aware of their neighbors' stances, especially when, in the future, they might concern them too- "

"Phillip, please! Essentially!"- the king was starting to lose his temper, but luckily 'Philipp' knew just the way to keep him in his clutches. He reached and pulled a dark violet book out of his axil, tossing it on the table in front of the other man.

Ari took it and gazed down at it, nonplused.

"Mother of the Rebellion."- Ari read the title with confusion. "Prince Philip, you're a man of many contributions, aren't you?"

"Just read this and you shall know better your Majesty."- the mysterious prince replied simply. "I give it to you, because I believe you do deserve to be informed of what kind of people dwell in Meridian and just how accurate all that I've told you so far, is."

_What a delight that this material was put together by that fool, Raythor, all ready and waiting for me to use it in my plans,_ the prince pondered with a discrete smile as he watched the Arkanthan go through the violet papers._ Had he known this little book would be so helpful to me, he'd surely have chopped both his hands off._

"The guardians of Kandrakar would never allow any of this, Philip."- Ari insisted. "All this which you speak of; this woman, Nerissa, she- "

"You said it yourself, Ari."- Philip interrupted him, annoyed, yet still patient. An entire realm knew that patience had never been one of his strengths. "The guardians of Kandrakar... They are, after all, devoted to the Heart of Infinity. Kandrakar, the Mage, Queen Elyon and the Coronian royals are all in coalition. The guardians are but mere pawns for them, they'd never turn back to their duties in the name of Arkantha's welfare. The stakes are much too high for them to have an opinion of their own, starting with the little curious detail which lies in one of them's relationship with the ostensible Mage's son. Yes indeed, your Majesty, shocking information isn't it? Corruption and nepotism remain rampant, regardless of the party in power- "

"This is where you're wrong."- Ari stood up from his place, his face flushing with anger. Who the hell did this man think he was to come to his kingdom and poison him with such bizarre assumptions? "The guardians did help me and my son Maqi on their own, even if against their superiors on Kandrakar. I surmise that you didn't know that, because if you did, you wouldn't be here in front of me, convincing me otherwise."- Ari's eyes appeared victorious when they met the other man's cold green stare. There was something deeper hidden in these eyes of his...and Ari was now sure, it was not that mere altruism he had initially come with. "Thus, Prince Philip, I'd like to have a word with the guardians, who also happen to be my old friends, before I even consider your proposal."

"Exonerate this question, but you do realize that if you actually mention any of this to the guardians, the entire proposal will instantly become pointless, do you not?"- the prince said icily. "If they get to know about my little _noble initiative_, the guardians' superiors will do all it takes to seize me and put and end to both me and my act of selflessness! All the realms that I've managed to save from enslaving so far, will also suffer under your mistake."

Ari gave him a look which made his blood boil. He tightened his fist, feeling his inner anger on its way to exploding...

"Then bring me proof, more solid than this book here, which looks more like a fascinating drama novel, if anything- "

"Proof? You require proof?"- the prince barked.

"Well, naturally, man! You don't expect me to entrust my entire kingdom and it's people to a union-contract that I know not enough of?"

"No. No, I don't."- Philip retorted bitterly, before raising his hand in an instant. "Here's your proof, you thickheaded farmer with a crown!"

Philip's eyes shone with a hypnotizing white light that couldn't go by unnoticed by Ari or his senses. Before he knew it, the blue-haired man found himself under the strong dark influence of the cruel prince's essence, without even realizing it:

"Sign the mystic contract, Ari. Sign it or die."- the menacing whisper escaped Philips's lips as the green glamour ring went around his body, giving him his one and only true form.

"I've never been that good with diplomatic case studies, anyway."- Phobos grinned as the other man obeyed his hypnotizing demand, putting his name on his mystic contract and agreeing on his terms for good. "And there's the entire nation of Meridian to testify to that."

Yes, the prince had hypnotized people before, including the rebel leader Caleb himself, but it was always welcome when the victims had no magic abilities whatsoever; it always made it so much easier. Like Ari for example, who he had previously known, has no royal origin or mystic force, having become king only thanks to the banshee he had captured and released years ago.

Phobos stood up from his stool hauntingly with his trademark smirk tattooed on his lips.

"That is what happens when a peasant decides to play the role of a king, Ari."- the prince mused, as he watched the other man pass out upon signing the paper, falling face-flat on the table. "And I still tried to get your word properly, didn't I. But you wanted your proof. Guess that is why they say that peasants will never learn to value royal people's acts of kindness. And that, my comically incapable friend, was the proof."- Phobos pulled the contract from under the unconscious man's face and rolled it up, contently putting it in his robes. That made three realms subordinate to his will.

_Excellent_, the monarch cheered mentally. _By the time Elyon's wedding comes, many more will have fallen, trapped with my mystic contracts, having no other choice but to obey me and be part of my United Dimensions._

A sudden creek coming from outside the conference room made Phobos prick up his ears. That was disturbing, Ari had ordered his guards dismissed, blinded by his peasanty arrogance...That could only mean that whoever was standing in front of the doors, had to be stopped before they could alert the guardians.

The doors slammed open at the command of his swing and the girl that had stood outside them fell, having lost balance because of the sudden movement. She looked up with fear written all over her face, as her voice trembled:

"No, p-please, I didn't mean to! Please-"

"What do we have here?"- the handsome, yet diabolical man with long fair hair was unfamiliar to the fallen brunette, yet she could tell he meant no good. She could tell that even back when she had heard strange noises coming from the conference room and had approached the door, clearly distinguishing the sounds of a terrifying voice and force...

Now all she could do was crawl back slowly, as her terror grew with each and every small step Phobos took towards her.

"What's your name, my dear?"- he asked her calmly, the sinister smile never leaving his captivating features.

"A-asa."- the brunette stammered, as she tried to hide her face with her thick frizzy hair, panic-stricken and as white as a sheet. "P-please...I mean no bad...let me go, I swear, I'll never tell anyone- "

Phobos found that rather amusing:

"Oh, Asa, too bad your parents never taught you how bad eavesdropping actually is. Do you expect me to believe that you'll keep my secret when it's your dear king that is in question? I think not. You're coming with me."- he declared in a terrifyingly smooth voice. "You're going to be my little source of fresh life force from now on."

Asa's eyes widened when the teletransportation spell devoured her, but it was too late. Not even a last whimper would've been heard, as she and the prince both vanished in a heavy, swift second, leaving Ari to lie on the table, waiting to be awakened again, completely oblivious to what had last taken place in the Scarlet Citadel.

* * *

_**Evening time in Heatherfield**_

Halinor Clarkson pushed her shopping cart around the aisles of a supermarket she had recently discovered, back in Heatherfield, her home town, which she had been staying in, for the last three days. Ever since her 'illnesses' had been completely cured during the summer, returning to the city she loved was a pleasure again.

And now that Kadma was busy with affairs linked to their foundation "Rising Star", the ex-guardian had chosen to visit her friends back in Heatherfield for a tad longer. She was staying in Cassidy's old house, which the young mother-to-be had now of course left, moving in with Peter, even if she visited her mother on the daily.

Emily just refused to move in with her daughter and her boyfriend, no matter how many times they pleaded her to. Cassidy was quite concerned to leave her mother, who was by now in advanced age, all by herself, but since the elderly woman could still care of herself for the most part and refused to move out of her home, as to 'give the youngsters peace and space', the former water guardian couldn't really do anything.

Emily cherished Halinor's temporary company and so did Halinor. There were just so many memories and warm feelings that made her feel Emily as if she was her own mother, let alone the fact that the woman was a walking inspiration, who was pushing a hundred!

Halinor felt quite good on that particular day. She wanted to get a few things and prepare her famous Ossobuco*, which she had already done. Her initial shopping list, that was. She was actually all set to go and get to cooking, but Halinor wouldn't be Halinor if she didn't need to add something from herself. That was why, even though she had already picked up the lamb meat, and all the vegetables and spices which she had needed for her recipe, the mature blonde was still wandering around the supermarket, desperately working for polenta* to garnish her meal with.

But as her luck had it, it looked like she wasn't going to succeed anytime soon, hence she felt obligated to ask the woman she had spied in the other end of the relatively empty supermarket, for assistance:

"Excuse me. You-hoo! I'm sorry to bother you, miss, but I can't seem to find any frozen polenta. Do you mind giving me a hand?"

The skinny woman with short auburn hair turned back and glanced at the source of that voice, almost shocked.

"Oh, my _gaawd_, Courtney! Hold up, will ya? There's this delusional lady who mistook me for a part of the staff again."- she nickered into her smartphone. "Yeahh, like you get all the laughs and giggles on my behalf while traveling with your boyfriend! You have all the fun and I'm forced to stay here and supervise the lame supermarket!"- she then turned to the flabbergasted Halinor, scanning her, her punch-pink colored coat and light-blonde locks from head to toes. "Excuse me, lady, but can you not be outrageous? You're not from around here, are you? If you were, you would've known, that I'm Bess Grumper! Supervisor and co-owner of the supermarket, not a part of the staff!"

"Oh, my bad, I couldn't have known."- Halinor stuttered, taken aback by Bess's nasty reaction. "It's just that I didn't see anyone else around the aisles and hence I thought- "

"Now you're saying that our supermarket is ratchet or what?"- Bess squalled. " Our supermarkets are the best range in town!"

"No, I didn't mean to-"

"Go back to the countryside, auntie! Your lack of knowledge clearly shows you belong there!"

That was the last straw. Halinor was usually quite a friendly and kind person, especially towards strangers- after all, she had a proper upbringing. She had been raised during different times...But after everything she had been through in her life, she had learned how to stand up for herself. She wasn't going to have some brat belittle her like that in her own home city:

"It is pretty obvious who belongs to the countryside, miss Grumper."- she said coldly. "Only your place is not just some countryside, your place is in the cowshed, you surly girl!"

And so she huffed past the Grumper sister with her cart, not even bothering to turn back or listen to the younger woman's indignant screams.

That encounter made blonde want to leave this place and never again return. After all, there were plenty of other, _better_ grocery stores and supermarkets around the city, anyway! The ex-guardian was just heading for the checkouts when she heard a strong male voice somewhere behind herself and felt interested enough to look back:

"The woman served it to you good, you really are incredibly rude and low-bred, Bess! That's why you drive all your father's customers away from your supermarkets!"

"Ah! Whatevs! I don't have time for any of this! Walk on your way, Mr. Lyndon and if you are not a fan of our supermarkets, then quit coming here all the time!"- Bess huffed and stormed away in a goose-like gait. "Geezers these days!"

"I don't come here because of your good quality products or a good attitude, I come because it's the nearest two-star market to me home!"- the man yelled sarcastically after her. "Some of us people are quite busy and need not waste their time, you wouldn't know, I'm sure of it!"

Halinor caught herself staring as the man turned his head in her direction and started pushing his own cart towards her.

He was burly, even if old, with gray hair and facial hair, and glasses with thick black frames.

"Wait up, madam."- he called after the ex-guardian, after she had attempted to continue on her way to the nearest checkout. "I couldn't help myself from overheating. Here, take this. It was the last package in the refrigerators."- and he put a package in her cart, once he had made it to her.

"Oh, polenta."- Halinor exclaimed and smiled at the man. Now that he was standing so close to her, there was something familiar to his face... "Thanks, sir, but I can't take it, you laid eyes and hands on it first. It's your luck."

"Oh, but I insist."- the man smiled back. "After you had to endure that rude Bess's demeanor, I feel obligated to compensate you with this very product you desired. I'm certain your cooking is as brilliant as your smile."

If she had been a few decades younger, she would have actually blushed at that line, but Halinor couldn't help gawking at the man, anyway. Oh, God. Was he actually _flirting_ with her?!

"Oh, please, I didn't in any way want to make such an impression."- the man said as if having read her facial expression. "I didn't mean to; how do the kids say it these days? To hit on you, you see, when I see a beautiful woman, I sometimes can't control the high-schooler in meself. The name is Zacharias Lyndon, while on the subject."- and he stretched a hand, which the ex-guardian almost didn't notice.

Instead, she shook her finger, suddenly having put up some old memories together.

"Zacharias Lyndon? Oh, my God! Have you by any chance ever been a student at Open Hill Central University? Dear, Zacharias, this will sound very zany if I'm mistaken, but I think you used to practice on giving out lectures in front of us, the first-year students!"

"Lord! That's remarkable, I did do that when I was there for my last year of bachelor's degree!"- Zacharias exclaimed, stupefied. "I gave lectures to the younger students almost every week, you mean to tell me that you were among these students? What is your name, If I may ask, madam?"

"Oh, I don't think you'll remember me."- Halinor waved her hand shyly. "I'm Halinor Clarkson, but...I'm the girl that left the University in her second year, actually, that's the slightly more memorable thing about me that I now recalled...If it brings up anything for you- "

"Halinor, of course! You're the girl who so aggressively, almost, _demanded_ to be released and in the end left all the programs, despite having earned a full scholarship."- the ex-guardian felt her cheeks flush. If the pick-up line hadn't managed, this had made her blush visibly. "Why did you need to leave so suddenly, after all, Halinor?"

She looked down. Of course, she couldn't even think of telling him. How could she tell just anyone about the tragedy that had happened with C.H.Y.K.N all these years ago, even if that anyone was, in actuality, the dashing Zacharias Lyndon, who she had once found exceptionally cute. Thank God, now everything between her and her friends had been restored back to normal, after many years, and hence she didn't feel as terrible when remembering these black days. By now they were just a vivid nightmare from the past.

"Family problems."- she mumbled, realizing he was still expecting her answer.

Halinor met her former colleague and lector's eyes again and couldn't help return his smile. He was still quite charming for sure.

"Oh, what questions am I even asking you. It was 50 years ago. I often remind myself that we must live in the present!"- Zacharias boomed. "Halinor, it's not every day that I meet people I haven't seen in so many years. This might sound inappropriate again, but gosh darn it, what are you doing tonight? I'd like to catch up with you. In fact, my home is quite spacious and if you wish you could join me for dinner- "

Halinor smiled and shook her head, getting herself ready to politely decline his offer. After all, she had to cook dinner for Emily, she had already promised. Besides, it really did appear quite inappropriate to just meet Zacharias after so many years and decide to have dinner with him, in spite of the fact, that for some bedazzling reason, she felt like she knew him much more deeply than their time together had allowed them to get to know each other in reality. But when the ex-guardian reached to touch the man's hand in a friendly manner, a series of visions unfolded in front of her eyes.

So many scenes and pictures, transmitted through the energy of his body heat, made her head spin. She lost balance and Zacharias had to support her to prevent her from falling:

"Oh my, Halinor, are you alright?! What happened?"- his Scottish accent echoed in her ears, but Halinor managed to shake off the overwhelming feeling created by her powers and remain awake.

Yeah, this happened to her at times. Now that she was hooked to a Heart, even more than usual. At least now she had an idea of why she had had this strange feeling for the man, the entire time. Halinor licked her lips and thought feverishly. Of course, how hadn't she put two and two together earlier! At least for a part of the truth! God damn it, she had been to the observatory three days ago! Yet back then, the name Lyndon hadn't triggered the red lamp in her brain...Neither the observatory nor had she seen him there, anyway...

Halinor shook her head. She had to further investigate this.

"Maybe we have to leave this for another time...you're fatigue."

"I-I'm fine, Zacharias. Low blood pressure."- she managed to utter in the end. "I didn't mean to decline your offer, in fact, I must cook dinner for my friend's mother, but you can certainly join the two of us for dinner. I_ insist_."

* * *

_Trivia:_  
_Ossobuco*- Ossobuco or osso buco is a specialty of Lombard cuisine of cross-cut veal shanks braised with vegetables, white wine and broth. It is often garnished with gremolata and traditionally served with either risotto alla milanese or polenta, depending on the regional variatio _

_polenta*- Polenta is a dish of boiled cornmeal that was historically made from other grains. It may be served as a hot porridge, or it may be allowed to cool and solidify into a loaf that can be baked, fried, or grilled._

**_Can't wait for ur comments! ;)  
Stay safe,  
xoxox_**


	17. The Star of Cassidy

_Chapter 17: The Star of Cassidy  
_

_"...You have to be stronger than the secret, otherwise the burden of it will crush my granddaughter. It will crush your relationship with her too, and I'd hate to see real love be wasted."_

**Tr: Do you guys remember the Star of Cassidy? In the comics, the Star of Cassidy was a copy of the Heart of Kandrakar, previously part of Cassidy and later absorbed into the Heart itself. It was created from the last spark the Heart left behind after Cassidy died. It was passed on to Will as a replacement and its powers seem to be light-colored rather than fuchsia based. Halinor had written a diary that Eric's grandpa was trying to decode, up until a vision of Cassidy herself opened Will's eyes for the truth. (it was how the girls managed to restore their powers after Nerissa tricked Will into giving her the Heart in the second comic arc)**  
**Well, here things are not going to be the same and it will have a slightly different purpose.**

**This chapter is retrospective to a large extent, but it's still directly linked to the previous 2/3 chaps and the events that took place in them, so you may want to revise them. :) Enjoy!**

* * *

"We came as soon as we got your message."- Will crossed the threshold of the Chacon house, followed by Taranee, Irma and Hay Lin.

"Hey, it took us a while to persuade Hay Lin to come along, but we're here, so spill it. What's the...tea."- the water guardian finished absently, her attention drawn by the odd configuration of people sitting around the kitchen table.

The snow above the city had increased in rapidity and they had to wrap themselves up with layers of clothing, hats and gloves, in order to make it to the old neighborhood where Cassidy's family house was located, albeit driven by Will.

They had all been a tad weirded out by the location they had been called to, and the fact that Halinor hadn't resorted to telepathy when contacting them, yet, as she had put it, what they were to talk about was meant for a cheek-by-jowl type of conversation.

"Gramps Lyndon?"- Hay Lin exclaimed, visibly flabbergasted to see her boyfriend's grandfather in the company of Halinor and her own grandmother. "But what are you...what are you doing here?!"

The three seniors exchanged glances before facing the newcomers again. Their expressions were impervious. Taranee, Will and Irma did the same. Hay Lin was the only one, too astounded to move her eyes from the scene in front of herself.

"Sit, girls."- the former fire guardian said eventually. "I'm glad that you made it. I see Cornelia isn't with you? No worries, you'll all explain to her later."

"Cornelia wished she could come, but she's really juggling with a lot of things lately. Her baby and all the college work which she's trying to catch up with. She's trying to get most of her things done before Christmas, but you know how it is."- Will explained as she took a seat around the table.

"It's all good."- Yan Lin interjected. She appeared to have finally regained her usual sedate state of soul and mind. That made her granddaughter feel a tad better. Even if she wasn't ready to admit it. "We completely understand her, girls. Tea, you mentioned, Irma? Have yourself a cup!"

Irma and Taranee couldn't help exchanging glances as the woman poured the hot drink in the cups in front of them.

"Umm Mrs. Lin?"- the fire guardian trailed uncertainly, flipping her ponytail of micro braids to the back. "No offense to anyone, but what's the _real_ essence of this meeting? And what is Mr. Lyndon doing here?"

Zacharias looked almost uncomfortable, getting ready to say something, but Halinor's voice outstripped his:

"Patience, Taranee. You'll know everything. After all, that is why we called you here. But first, we must wait for one last person to join our meeting."

"One more person?"- Irma blurted out. "Who?"

The old kitchen was dimly lit, but Will could still make out the tension written on the two former guardians' faces. Even if they communicated by telepathy while facing them, they had to look over to the man on the table. Why did he look so uneasy?

The ring on the doorbell broke the girls off their thoughts. Halinor stood up to open, just as she had opened it for them. Hay Lin focused her attention at the threshold, eager to see who the last person that was about to join them was. The air around had given her a clue already...

"Eric..."- she whispered.

Her three friends stared at the new-arrival, equally astounded.

The blue-eyed man blenched barely noticeably, once he noticed her and slid his eyes over the other people in the kitchen. He stood on the threshold with a harsh look taking over his handsome features.

"Eric. Would you please take a seat and let me close the door?"- Halinor said kindly. "It's getting cold."

Eric looked down at the blonde lady. It didn't matter how she knew his name. He had never seen her, but after what he had come to know in the last days, nothing could surprise him anymore. After all, he didn't even know whose house he had arrived at. For some reason, he had decided to respect Yan Lin's request and had come. He hadn't expected for so many other people to present too, but nevertheless...Since Eric was blocking the door, he moved and reluctantly sat by his grandfather's side

His presence was the thing that actually dumbfounded him a little. What did he have to do with all this and the world of _magic_?!

At the other end of the table, Hay Lin had an idea of what this entire meeting was all about, and she wasn't happy with it one bit. Yes, her heart had skipped a beat, of course, she was happy to see him after three days, but his coldness was too much. She couldn't take it. She wasn't going to allow her grandmother and Halinor to rush things either.

_I can't believe you're doing this;_ she aimed her thoughts at Yan Lin. _This isn't the right way to fix the problem, grandma. I'm sorry, but you should quit doing such things without my consent!_

The former guardian never picked up on that telepathic channel. Whether she was doing it deliberately or not, she just kept looking somewhere in front of herself with what seemed like a calm, small smile. Hay Lin felt her cheeks burn. She hated feeling resentment towards her grandmother, but she couldn't help herself when the old woman was tampering with her relationship. She was about to say something unforgivable, but Halinor was quicker once again, her melodious voice preventing the young Asian from lashing out:

"Eric, you were introduced to the world of supernatural, mystic forces, a few days ago, but it wasn't meant to happen in that way."- she declared. Eric just sulked but said nothing. "You have every right to be angry with all of us for keeping the truth from you, but- "

"I'm angry with _her_ for keeping it from me."- the young man interrupted her, piercing Hay Lin with his eyes. "I don't expect anything from any of you guys. But she's supposed to be my soulmate. I can understand she couldn't tell me right away, but it has been ten fucking years! That's what I'm angry about, I already said that the other day- "

"Then perhaps you should first aim all that anger at me, young man. Because I never told you either. And I've known for over 40 fucking years."

Eric felt his jaw hang. He just blinked, staring at his grandfather. He didn't know what had confounded him more. That statement that had just come out of the old man's mouth or the fact that he had just used the f-word.

"Huh?!"- Irma's owlish expletive was drowned by Taranee elbowing her in the ribs.

"What are you talking about, gramps?!"- Eric demanded.

Both he and Hay Lin had their entire attention and bewilderment focused on the old astronomer, who just stirred in his seat, glum, yet firm.

"Yes, Eric. I had to bump into Halinor in the supermarket for this truth to finally see daylight, as they say."- he narrated. "Remember when you were just a boy, you used to be fascinated by those sci-fi stories about aliens and otherworldly commination through the stars and planets? You've always been drawn to the sky, yet back then, you were interested in that very _supernatural_ load of bologna type of stories, as every child is. You used to ask me all the time; grandpa, grandpa, have you _ever_ come across alien writings in the stars. Have you ever _communicated_ with aliens? You would've been in seventh heaven if I had told you the truth, yet I didn't, Eric, because I knew just how absurd it sounds and not only... Gosh, I'm sure Charles and Louise would've sent me to a senior home had they heard me speak of my encounter seriously, and I could never force the truth to sound like a joke, you know that..."

"Grandpa..."- Eric interrupted him incredulously. "What are you saying!?"

"I already said it, young man! But of course, you want the details...You deserve the details. Listen to me patiently then. I'll tell you the full story. About 45 years ago..."

***Flashback***

A few months before his 30th birthday, Zacharias Lyndon didn't feel a day over 50. Maybe it was the sleepless nights he spent gazing through the telescope or maybe it was the two toddlers crying on his head on the daily.

After having two sons, the young astronomer had seen himself compelled to settle down in Heatherfield - a relatively small city, 300 miles away from Open Hill where he had spent 5 years of his life.

After leaving Scotland and Great Britain, upon finishing High School and one of the most prestigious universities, he had moved to the states for more diverse career opportunities. Now he had chosen Heatherfield due to many reasons - one of which was the permanent job as a professor he had found. The other two were the observatory he had managed to find and buy on a decent prize and his family.

Zacharias didn't have time to lose though. Suppressing his weariness and all the different pains in his body, he locked the car and headed for the observatory. Night was the only time when he could work anyway. Not only because of the night sky but also because the little cry machines slept.

The professor's working and living space were both suited in the big building, which still needed a lot of work, but was surely promising to one day become breathtaking.

The first few nights weren't at all that interesting. As a young astronomer and specialist, Zacharias has different routine things to attend to. He was far from the thought that he'd be making great discoveries any time soon. Boy had he been wrong...

Only days after he had moved into his new living space, his own personal observatory, he stumbled across something that changed his perceptions of possible and impossible, forever. A discovery which he'd never be able to share with the world...

_Up until decades later, when that particular case would be needed to open his grandson's eyes and heal his hurt over a held back truth...What a thing life was..._

At first, Zacharias was unable to believe it himself. It was a cold, snowy night in Heahterfield, like any other, as it seemed. This city _embraced_ winters in an entirely new way.

When it happened for the first time, he refused to believe it. Not only he, science refused to believe it. A celestial body that appeared and disappeared not only on his screens but in front of his very eyes! It couldn't have been a malfunction or a broken lens, Zacharias knew it because it was there every next night.

The odd, perplexing star that changed it coordinates and circled the sky like nothing he had ever seen or read about before. Zacharias had started taking precise notes each time and every next night his excitement and the circling feeling in his gut got stronger. But just when he was about to announce his discovery to a third party for the first time, it happened. And yes. A _third_ party never did know anything about the mysterious star, because someone already knew. It was her voice that stopped the scientist. The voice coming _from_ the star.

_"You who looked up to the sky and opened your soul to the beauty of the last sparkle ... I don't know who you are and I don't see your face, but I can sense your feelings, thoughts and intentions. Don't make the mistake of using what only you see for fame, success, or money. If you do, the star will remain invisible to you forever. Just like it is to everyone else in Heatherfield."_

Zacharias was astounded and shocked. Not so much because of the fact that he suddenly had the feeling he wasn't in his observatory anymore, but because of the actual things that this voice was saying. It knew..._Aliens_ had just made contact with him, as the astronomer realized. A realization he had never even thought he'd consider. As insane as it sounded, it had happened. He was hearing this pristine, white female voice coming from afar... Somewhere so far, where the mysterious star rose in the sky every other night. But the most bedazzling thing in the entire situation was that this entity knew of Heatherfield. Therefore, its presence here had been well-planned. _But why_, Zacharias couldn't help but wonder. What was its agenda? _Her intentions_, for that matter...

"I...I don't understand. How are we communicating?"- the scientist asked, mostly because his brain was too wonderstruck to think of anything else. He had realized that he could speak to the entity by just the power of his thought. He simply had to think of the words and they came echoing, out of his head, right into the mysterious woman from the stars' mind...It was simply incredible. Terrifying, but incredible.

"Telepathy."- the man answered his own question. Telepathy was how they were communicating. "Astonishing...I want to apologize for my approach, but this is, believe it or not, my very first contact with an alien. Do not be offended and please remain open-minded. I suppose this is happening to me, because I have always made fun of my colleagues at the UFO department ..."- Zacharias shook his head, having realized that he was blabbing, even if telepathically. "I have so many questions. Why Earth? Why Heatherfield? How do you speak English- "

_"Alien contact, yes... I understand your questions, but I'm afraid I cannot answer the majority of them, at this point."_\- the entity mused in his head. That melodious female voice...Maybe the young astronomer would've recognized it if it hadn't been for the mystic hallo echo that accompanied it through the dimensions, which he was unaware of...

"_I too don't know why you were able to see the last spark."_\- the female voice confessed. _"I was reaching for a friend of mine, but she hasn't responded yet."_

"You have a friend on Earth?!"- Zacharias interrupted her in distress. Could this be an invasion...

"_...It can only mean that you are somehow connected to the last spark and congruently to the future or past of Kan..."_\- somewhere far away from the observatory, in the center of Infinity, Halinor bit her lips. She had almost said "Kandrakar" out loud. What a dire mistake she had almost committed!

She was totally oblivious of who she was talking to. She was actually shocked that anyone had picked on her signals...When she had decided to broadcast the essence of the last spark that had been left after Cassidy's demise, the ex-guardian had hoped to reach her friend Yan Lin, through the Heart of Kandrakar, which she now guarded. The last spark had respectively come from it and therefore, this would've been a way for them to connect through time and space, which as for now, Halinor wasn't allowed to do in any other way, being a novice in the fortress. Besides, the former fire guardian felt like by creating the image of the star of Cassidy, a part of her deceased friend lived on... A single tear rolled down her fair cheek, but she quickly grabbed a hold of herself.

This man who lived in Heatherfield had been able to connect with her while on Kandrakar. _Why was that_, Halinor asked herself anxiously as she sat on the floor of her chamber in the fortress of Infinity, maintaining the intra-special telepathic line. She had to be very careful, but she also had to know more...

"I don't know whether you're aware, but I'm an astronomer. A scientist, I specialize in studying the outer space."- Zacharias's voice sounded back from Earth. "Maybe that is why I was able to determine this celestial body that your strong telepathy comes from. Is it an actual star, or...a _ship_, maybe?"

His initial shock, denial and fear had melted away. He didn't know what it was, but there was something calming and reassuring in the way that alien life connected to him. It felt almost as if he was in the company of a sensual lady...

_"Oh, no, I assure you it has nothing to do with that. This isn't about science. This is magic. There's another reason for the contact established between us, but I will only be able to determine it after long meditations and consultations- "_

"_Magic_?!"

At this point, Zacharias was almost certain that someone had put drugs in his dinner. Magic? What nonsense was that?! He could accept the existence of alien life in outer space, but magic? Witchcraft? Those things only had a place in the fairytales, for Christ's Sake...

_"I sense that you're no believer."_\- Halinor noted._ "Tell me then, how are we communicating through telepathy, yet I still know nothing about your location, identity and the other way around. How am I able to sense your emotions and thoughts? Can science do that?"_

That had him unprepared. Zacharias stirred in his place sheepishly.

"How am I to be sure that you're not aware my location, identity and so on. Perhaps your kind has technology on an entirely different level, which is able to achieve what seems impossible to us, humans...Mind control, telepathy..."

_"May time be the one to convince a skeptic otherwise."_\- Halinor interrupted him softly. _"Soon, I will have more clarity on why you of all people, my dear mister, connected with the last sparkle. Science is a magnificent thing indeed, but magic overthrows it each and every time. Remember that."_

"Then continue to communicate with me every night. I will have my clarity too."- Zacharias didn't give up. "We shall determine the matters which interest the both of us, by being peaceful and discrete. Discrete on my part, at least. I can't afford to lose the biggest discovery of my entire career, merely because of my personal gain and pleasure, as a scientist. If the price to pay is for this to remain forever known by me only, then so be it."

In Kandrakar, Halinor smiled softly. She didn't voice it, but she also had to be discrete. None of her colleagues, the sages, and even the Oracle would approve of this endeavor of hers. Talking to this guy in Heatherfield was also exciting... It felt like she was 16 again, sneaking out on her parents and friends, for a quick date with someone special...What was she thinking?! How embarrassing. _Thank God_ she was the one with the psychic power in this telepathic conversation, otherwise, the man would've heard her thoughts...

"Do we strike a deal, Miss..."- Zacharias stopped taking notes for a second. He feared that having looked away from the star, the connection had been lost, hence he hurried to look through his telescope again. "Do we hear each other? Hello? You're a "miss", right?"

_"Yes, I'm female."_\- Halinor stated from her chambers._" And I beg of you, don't think of me as an alien. I'm actually much more human than you imagine, and that's about all that I'll say."_

Zacharias lifted an eyebrow. How was that possible? It must be a way of the alien to win his trust. But then again, she sounded so very sincere and kind...

_"Sir, I can still sense your thoughts."_\- Halinor reminded him. _"I already told you. This "celestial body" isn't about science and aliens, it's about something much different. It's about magic-."_

"But where are my manners."- the scientist interrupted her in his turn. "Since we are to be doing this from now on, we stand in front of the need of proper addressing. What should I call you, miss? My name is doctor- "

_"No, no names!"_\- the blonde panicked. _"I can't explain it to you, doctor scientist, but if I get even a hint about your identity, the connection between you and the last spark might just break down... It's against the rules."_\- she confessed reluctantly. It was against the rules she had sworn to when becoming a sage on Kandrakar, to be doing this too, but she had found a little door out... What she didn't want for sure was for the effects of breaking a magical oath to be triggered. Something which this man's identity could do. _"If you want for these talks of ours to keep happening, you must keep a low profile, even in front of yourself..."_

'I don't understand. Is it a magic manner?"- Zacharias tried to be serious as he aimed that thought, but failed. Magic...What a ridiculous idea... "How very romantic. And what is 'the last spark'? Miss, you can at least give me a suggestion what to call you. It doesn't have to be your name, but if we are to be interlocutors-"

_"No particular information between us should be unveiled."_\- Halinor struggled to explain herself properly. _"But I will tell you this, as I created this star and the only rules that matter to it is mine. It's an idea of how you can refer to me, other than "miss". You, doctor, are communicating with the Star of Cassidy."_

***End of Flashback***

"What I had discovered back then, was a star in the sky, which appeared and disappeared on a random basis. Its coordinates were bizarre, none of the machines could detect it. It was unimaginable, but I liked it more and more with every passing night."- Zacharias admitted. "Not only did my work feel crowned with success, but I had also found someone special in the face of the woman from the Star of Cassidy. Magic was something which she made me believe in."

"We talked for years. Me on Kandrakar and your grandfather here, in Heatherfield."- Halinor said emotionally, once the man had ended his story. "We never knew anything in particular about each other, let alone that we've met before. Zacharias and I know each other from college, back at Open Hill... But today, when I felt his inner vital energy, I instantly recognized the man's energy. That same man that I talked to through the Star of Cassidy all these years ago..."

"Am I the only one who has still doesn't get what the freak is this Star of Cassidy!?"- Irma interrupted the mature blonde, winning herself reproachful looks from Will and Taranee. "You created a star with a spell, to honor her memory, you wanted to talk to Yan Lin, cool. But the last spark...is that like, the spark which was left from Nerissa's spell after she- "

"No, Irma, it's the last spark which the Heart of Kandrakar transmitted from the water aurameere. The last water energy spark before you took the position of the water guardian, of course."- Halinor smiled mildly. "But thank you for bringing it up. We have to explain that to Eric..."

"I will explain it to him."- and as he said that, Zacharias took a big old journal out of his axil. He placed it on the table, in front of his astounded grandson.

A tear rolled down Halinor's face as she read the title. The Star of Cassidy...

"This journal holds all that I should've told you when you started dating young Hay Lin here, Eric."- the old man said and amicably took the young Asian's hand. "When the white arras wraps around Heatherfield, the truth must come out. The truth about magic is what your younger copy must know. Can you believe it...I heard just the same the other day when the blizzard happened. That's what you predicted, Halinor, yet neither of us knew."

The ex-guardian held back her tears as she nodded. She was so emotional seeing the man overcome with emotion himself.

"No, we didn't. Fate can't be controlled or followed completely."- she sobbed. "I'm so sorry that I couldn't help you more- "

"It's not your fault, it's mine."- the old man shook his head and grabbed Eric's hands in his. "I've been a fool. Eric, do you understand me, dear? _I_ was supposed to tell you about the world of magic. It was what the Universe wanted. Had I shared with you, the circumstances wouldn't have been so dire for both you and your girl today. But I thought that it's about your uncle."

Irma was just about to protest, for no one but Halinor and Zacharias knew what they were talking about, but her friends' tense listening, made her give up.

"Grandpa, I don't under-"

"I knew about magic, son. Everything about Kandrakar and the guardians is in that book, had I given it to you earlier this wouldn't have happened...But _damn me_, I had no idea that your girl is one of the new guardians."

The girls' mouths hung open at that. Once again they were facing another bizarre proof of the unknown ways their destinies functioned. So many things about their lives were pre-outlined, by forces neither of them could understand completely. Just like them meeting and becoming friends, just like Heatherfiled happened to be where the five elements crossed paths...

"I spent years of my life collecting all this information from Halinor's words as to avoid her breaking a rule. We used unthinkable tactics to achieve it, but all that time I thought your uncle was the one meant to know. My younger copy..."- Zacharias sobbed loudly. "When his plane crashed and we lost him, I didn't want to have anything to do with the world of magic ever again. I carelessly abandoned it all, not even considering that you, my magnificent grandson, are a striking image of my younger self too. I'm terribly sorry."

"It wasn't your fault."- Halinor said quietly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't...I don't know what to say."- Eric nearly stammered. "I'm not mad with you gramps, but this is all too much. I'm overwhelmed. Such things- "

"Such things often happen. Up until today, Halinor hadn't construed the situation, but when she discerned the truth and that Zacharias is the grandfather of my granddaughter's boyfriend, she convened this urgent meeting. A meeting of truth."- Yan Lin interfered. "Yes, kid...The truth can be a tetchy value...You didn't get to know the truth about Hay Lin's powers, yet she had the good mind to tell you. And not only she. But she was scared, Eric, and when she finally gathered the courage, things took an ugly turn and we all know what happened next. I understand you. The way it all happened for you and your grandfather, was a whole nine yards of unpleasantness, but you still have to overcome this. You have to be stronger than the secret, otherwise, the burden of it will crush my granddaughter. It will crush your relationship with her too, and I'd hate to see real love be wasted."

Eric was speechless for a whole minute and so were everyone else. The girls didn't even dare to exchange glances. Even without her special powers to sense emotions in the air, they could sense Hay Lin's tension and could almost hear the crazy, anxious beats of her heart.

"I'll try."- Eric said in the end. Seeing his smile and dimples, instead of the unusual for his face, sternness, was a true remedy. "I'll be strong for both me and Hay Lin. Especially because I can't bear to lose any more people. Not to a magic universe, not to anything."

"Eric."- the air guardian began, hope in her voice. "Are you saying what I hope that you are..."

"I guess I am."- and he smiled again. "It's true that I felt insulted when I came to know that you've been keeping this from me for years, but hearing that my grandfather unwillingly did the same, made me think just how hard it must have been on you. How hard the burden actually is. I don't want to be selfish, Hay Lin. Right now I want to talk to you in private, we have so many things to discuss...If you'll excuse us, of course- "

"Suure, you have our blessings."- Irma fired before the others could talk.

Will shook her head at her friend's undying, always-present humor as everyone else just nodded their heads, happy to see the two young people make amends...

"Give me just a minute."- Hay Lin smiled at her boyfriend, wiping a tear of happiness before it could roll down her cheek.

"I'll be outside."- the young astronomer retorted, placing a hand on his grandfather's shoulder. "Thanks for sharing this for the sake of mine and Hay Lin's future, grandpa. Thanks to all of you. I'll be seeing you around."

Zacharias and Eric held each other in a long, tight embrace.

Yan Lin was elated and couldn't have prayed for a better outcome. She met her friend's glance and smiled gratefully. Halinor could only place her hand on top of hers and return the token of gratitude.

But the one whose eyes showed true gratitude, remorse and deep love, was Hay Lin, and when the former air guardian turned around to meet these eyes, her granddaughter leaped forward and enveloped her in the tightest hug.

"Forgive me, grandma."- the girl cried quietly. "Forgive me for doubting you, forgive me for holding a grudge against you when all you've ever done has been to help me and ease my life. Just like always, this time you managed to fix everything too; I'm just a moron, that's what I am- "

"Hay Lin!"- her grandmother exclaimed, hugging her back. "Quit blabbing and go to your man! I'm not mad at you and you weren't wrong to blame me; I acted foolishly and I have no excuse for it, I'm neither young, nor green, but you are, my granddaughter. We're OK."- she assured her. "Now go!"

"But I treated you so coldly over the last days, I wasn't right to do that."- Hay Lin sobbed. "If you hadn't erased Louise's mind, God knows what could've happened-"

"Ahh, only time shall tell more about that. I told you, it's all water under the bridge now. The burden of the guardian secret can do much worse than this, we're holding up like champions! Believe me, when I tell you, we're all good. Together, we're stronger than the burden."- the old woman said with a glowing warm smile." None of us is as strong and smart as _all_ of us. _Together._"

"I love you, grandma."

"I love you too, my silly cookie. Now go. Your true love is waiting for you in the cold and if you don't step on it, the best of him will turn into an icicle."

The dreary atmosphere seemed to have finally cleared. Halinor offered to serve some of her Ossobuco for everyone. Irma decided to take a selfie with Yan Lin and Zacharias, which she then captioned as "Hanging with the OGs". Taranee, however, turned to Will with concern written on her face:

"You know, everything's well when it ends well, but one thing that didn't get an answer tonight bothers me."

"Phobos?"- the redhead guessed. "Or the fact that he used the Cruel Empress against us while going on with his jackass plans."

"A little bit of both. But primarily, how did Phobos get his hands on Bug Queen, when she was imprisoned by the Oracle?"

"What are you saying Taranee?"- Will muttered, not even wanting to consider the eerie possibility that came with the feelings that these questions had provoked in her.

"Mark my word, Will."- Taranee whispered as her glasses reflected the light. "Something's _stinking fishy_ in Kandrakar."

* * *

_**Meridian**_

"Is this really necessary?"- Elyon complained as she tripped in the skirts of her long dress.

"By all means. I just can't believe that you've taken no further dancing lessons after _I_ left the castle, 10 years ago."

Elyon turned to the older woman and gave her a dirty look.

Nerissa stopped at the door, running fingers through her big curls. Once she got the hint, she just made a face and waved her hand:

"Oh, don't give me that look! I meant after you escaped Weira's jewel. You don't have to overreact, you were there only a few months, anyway. You had plenty of years afterward to learn a dance or two."

As they entered the ballroom, Elyon let out a sigh:

"Well, I have the basics of a few traditional Meridian dances. I just can't tango. Or waltz. Or slow dance at all."- the young Queen sighed again. "I used to be so passionate about dancing...Once."

"Well."- Nerissa gave her a snarky smile, nodding at the distance before them. "Lucky for you, Raythor over there has been taught to dance properly before he got to join the royal court under Zanden's patronage. As every self-respecting gentleman, of course. He'll teach you a few steps just before your wedding."

The ballroom was well-lit by the rays of the afternoon sun, decorated with red and gold colors in the drapes and on the walls. The marble floor beneath their feet was just recently polished. The room wasn't as big as Weira's Ballroom, but it was going to do the work.

Raythor was already waiting for them in the middle. He had replaced his usual set of clothes with a traditional Meridian suit.

Elyon smiled at the man politely as he stuck out in his dark green swallow-tailed coat.

"Good day, ladies. I'm ready when you are."

"Oh, you couldn't have possibly thought that you'll be dancing with me, right?"- Nerissa smirked at the sight of his stretched-out hand pointing at her. "I know how to dance, Raythor. It's her Majesty who doesn't. Therefore, you will be dancing with her."

"But how is her Majesty to learn if one doesn't show her?"- the captain protested. "I cannot show her all the steps myself, besides I already called Vlade to be her partner."- and he nodded at the young man that was sitting next to the music player (one of the Earth conveniences that her Majesty had actually been able to make work on Meridian.)

"He's an excellent dancer and if you can dance as good as you brag, then what is the big whoop?"

Nerissa appeared to be amused by his antics.

"Oh, I don't know."- she tossed a strand of hair back playfully. " If you wanted to ask me for a dance, you should've asked my husband's permission. Just saying."

"And I'm just saying that if you didn't want to dance, you wouldn't come here all decked up."- Raythor noted, crossing his arms on his chest. "But it's alright. You flatter yourself too much."

Nerissa rolled her eyes and glanced over at Elyon who appeared to be in a world of her own.

"We can trade partners, Mage. What say? I'll dance with her Majesty and you can take Vlade."

"I think I'd rather not do that."- the ex-guardian took a step forward and extended her hand in anticipation. "Come on, Raythor. We don't have the entire day dedicated to dancing with the royals."

"So you'd rather dance with me after all."- the man raised an eyebrow. "Interesting."

"Don't make me change my mind."

* * *

Fifteen minutes and a dozen stepped on toes later, Elyon was dancing almost graciously against the dramatic musical background. She had always been a fast learner when it came to dancing, it was just her mind that wasn't there. She was tense. She could feel the tension in her bones and even in her _pores_ while dancing with Vlade, the pale, dark-haired soldier boy Raythor had called.

She then met Nerissa's eyes from the other end of the room. She in her turn, gave her the sign. It was time to get to business.

"The wedding is to be postponed."- Elyon announced an hour later, glancing at the staff in front of herself. "I...I just wanted to let you guys know. So that you don't have to rush, stressing yourselves over the upcoming date. It has been changed. That would be all."

"But...what would the new date be, your Majesty?"- one of the women from the kitchen gave voice to everyone's spirits of inquiry.

Elyon blinked her gray-blue eyes at her before trailing:

"Oh, that's...yet to be specified, Lala. Don't worry, nothing bad has happened between me and the Coronian prince. I've already made arrangements with him and his kingdom, but the new date will have to wait another month or so."

The servants and staff just looked at each other. Their queen had always been very open and sincere to them, which was part of the reason why they could sense her worries through the not very good facade she was putting up.

"You would like to take care of Phobos before the big day, wouldn't you, your Majesty."- one of the older women spoke. "I stand behind you in that. Your brother has the rare ability to bastardize anything!"

"Could be her."- Raythor murmured from the upper terrace, on which he and the ex-guardian were observing the scene between the Queen and her staff.

"Zyla?"- Nerissa exclaimed skeptically, eyes pinned on the bottom floor. "Please. I've seen _sloths_ more cunning than her."

"Well then, it could be Lala. Or any of the other maids and cooks, as far as I'm concerned. It could be almost anyone in the castle, how are we to determine it?"

"Patience, Raythor."- the former Heart keeper appealed. "Many here have a reason to betray the Queen, but few are those who would dare choose Phobos as an ally. Choose Phobos over her, that is. Yes, the love Meridian has for Elyon might not be as termless as before she came to reign, but the majority of people still adore her. While there's not a single soul that hasn't suffered under Phobos. This is why trying to get the spy by guessing and testing the flexibility of our minds is of no use. I have a much better idea of how to uncover that poor soul's identity. A soul so poor, they had to resort to the madman prince of misery in order to look for...a piece of happiness. But all in it's good time. Just you wait and watch."

Raythor observed the smirk crawling on her full lips. Her gorgeous features gleaming with triumph.

"Well, you're smug."- he noted. "That's a welcome new-old mood."

"Ahh, yes. It is good to be back."- Nerissa leaned against the terrace rail. "All my life, I've been told I exude confidence and trust me, no one has ever said it in vain. No one has ever regretted making that observation, either. I just needed to remember; I seldom disappoint people's high expectations of _my wit_."

* * *

**Here you have it, chapter 17. Nerissa and Elyon's plan to bring down Phobos is about to take place, but what is to happen next? The noble hunt is not over. Stay tuned. ;)**


	18. The Trap is Set

**_Chapter 18: The Trap is Set_**

_"A crafty enemy will set a weak ambush you are meant to go through. Confident because you have dealt with the threat, your guard relaxed, you walk into a second, stronger ambush."-  
Robert Jordan_

* * *

Matt Olsen had never liked Christmas time in particular. His career and lifestyle usually had him away from his family and close ones on these so bright holidays, and that bugged him. It bugged him to be on tour or somewhere work-related and see all these unknown faces around himself, surrounded by their close-ones, relishing in the infamous spirit of Christmas, while he had to wait another week or so before returning to his girlfriend, friends and personal life.

Yes, ever since becoming a productive and well-known artist, the young man had had to deal with the inevitable long journeys, the lonely nights becoming more and more of an event, and the ruined holidays. But not this year. This year, Matt was about to actually spend the holidays in Heatherfield, surrounded by those who he loved. For the first time in years, he was going to be home for Christmas, and that would certainly help him find that special holiday spirit. Or so he hoped.

The young dark-haired man exited the store he had just shopped in, getting some last-minute presents, heading for the fast-food area next.

That was one thing to love about "Mall Heatherfield". Amid all the fancy and not so fancy shops and stores, the tremendous decorations, escalators full of people and giant, yet crowded lanes, the building had a generous number of restaurants and food joints to offer as well.

Caught in his thoughts and haste, Matt looked through the bags he was carrying on his way to the nearest escalator. Although Christmas and his mother's 'surprise' holiday gathering were a few days away, he wanted to make sure he had bought all his gifts in advance. Siding his eyes over the goods, he didn't realize just when he had gotten in a certain tall blonde's way, almost tripping her over in his absence of mind...

"Hey! Watch where you're going, you walking landslide!"

"So sorry."- he murmured, but as he recognized the distinctive female voice..." _Cornelia_? Fancy bumping into you here! Then again, this is a mall. I shouldn't be surprised, should I?"

"Matt?"- Cornelia exclaimed in her turn, instantly forgetting about her irritation, as she and the man got on the elevator leading to the upper floor. "Oh, that's right, I almost forgot! Will told me you'll be home for the holidays. You must be thrilled, huh? I can't recall the last time you were here before New Year's Eve."

"Yeah."- Matt retorted with a smile. "You and the others got my event invite for the gathering my mother's holding on the 25th, right? I'll be expecting you, Caleb and all the others to show up. As you said yourself, this is the first time in a while that I get to be here for the holidays and I want it to be memorable."

"Duh!"- Cornelia adjusted her white French barrette. "But seriously, it's kind of Linda to let us come along. I'd think you'd rather spend a few romantic days with Will in private, but since your mom's hosting a party, of course, we'll come."

"Will and I could've taken a quick trip to Europe, per se."- the man admitted, scratching his chin.

He and the guardian had made it to their floor and were now making their way towards the food joints.

"I was booked in a few clubs anyway, but you see, my aunt and cousin are coming to Heatherfield this year, and I decided it'd be more polite to cancel and just invite all of my friends along to mom's gathering."

"Yeah, I can see how that's the more polite thing to do. I think it'll be cool."- Cornelia took just a second to take her phone out of her designer handbag before following Matt. "Christmas time is meant to be spent with family and friends, anyway. I, myself, will have dinner with my parents on the 24th. In fact, Lillian and I will be having our men and their families as guests in "Garden Plaza" too, so I guess I'll get to celebrate with Irma on a few occasions this season. Aren't I lucky-"

Once she saw where he was walking towards, she stopped talking and walking at once:

"Matt, if you're hungry, come join me for lunch at 'The Pose'."- Cornelia exclaimed, almost outraged. "Forget about those crappy fast food booths!"

"But I wanted a burger..."- Matt gave up his food cravings once the blonde grabbed his hand and started dragging him with herself.

He wouldn't even call Cornelia Hale simply persuasive. That wasn't the right adjective for the feisty, yet also ice-cold (when she wanted to be), blonde. She was demanding and bossy, and she had to have things her way. _All the time._

'The Pose' was a posh little place, but Matt had to admit they served good quality food. If it weren't for the hefty prices and big waiting lines, he was even willing to come to it more often. But Cornelia managed things, nevertheless.

Ten minutes later, when they had both seated themselves on a small coquette table in the left corner of the restaurant, looking through menus, Matt suddenly came to a shocking realization:

"Shit, Cornelia! We totally forgot!"- he cried.

"What?!"- Cornelia stirred in her seat, looking at the man in distress. "What did we forget?"

"Elyon's wedding! Wasn't Elyon's wedding today?!"

Cornelia snorted, visibly peeved at that thought.

"What?"- he blinked puzzled." Is it not? I'm sure Will said the 18th last time this came in question."

"No, it isn't. At least not anymore, relax. She rescheduled."

Cornelia said that without taking her eyes off the menu, as to hide her irritation. As a matter of fact, she, herself, wasn't sure how she felt about that rescheduling. On one hand, she was glad Elyon was taking more time to 'date' the prince, but on the other, she was mad that her friend hadn't even thought of talking to her about it. It was as if her opinion and their friendship didn't even matter anymore...

"But why?"- Matt knitted his eyebrows. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, I guess. She didn't talk to me about it anyway, so I can't tell you anything particular either. And I don't want to bitch about it. It's her damn wedding, she might as well do whatever she wants with it. All I can tell is that she decided that she'll be having in the new year."

"Oh, cool."- Matt nodded somewhat thoughtfully and smiled.

Cornelia fought to return the smile, but the sourness was written all over her face. Realizing he had pulled a nerve there, Matt busied himself with the menu, even though he had already made his mind on what to have for lunch.

* * *

"I am beyond _wroth!_"- Phobos raged on the top of his lungs.

He was standing in the middle of the darkened room, all up in arms and ready to destroy everything around himself. The only thing that stopped him was the site of the pregnant Leonida nearby, sitting in one old armchair, deep and lost in thought.

"Now they decide to move the wedding! Now when we're all ready to execute our plan! I know that my idiotic sister couldn't have thought of this on her own. She's to pay dearly for having all these disgusting allies on her side!"

"If it was easy, even you would've lasted longer on the throne!"- Leonida barked at the prince, making him gawk at her.

"What did you just say to me- "

"_Shut up_! I'm trying to think"- she cut him off, completely unintimidated by his threatening approach. Phobos towered over her for a long silent minute, looking at her stomach as to calm the storm of anger in his chest. No, he wasn't going to hurt her. Not yet, anyway. Then, once that baby was born, he was going to teach her the respect she owned him.

"I_ sssay_ it's a trick."- Cedric called in from the ledge of the window he was looking out of. "The sorceress and the guardians have most probably conjectured that the date of the wedding is of significant importance to our plans. You shouldn't fall for it, my Liege."

"But it isn't."- the honey-haired woman argued.

Cedric and Phobos looked at her in dismay.

"What?"- the shapeshifter bared his teeth. His hatred for Leonida was getting greater with every next day. "The wedding date is of no importance to our plans? Our plans involve legal rights, your Grace, how are we...I am sorry,_ you_, to contradict Elyon and Andan's royal validity if you don't know when they're to wed?!"

"Cedric is right."- Phobos agreed coldly. "Timing is everything in our situation. Our descendant will never be accepted by the realms if we don't commit everything in front of their eyes. And that would be a pity because if not, all the time I spent in trying to be more diplomatic will have been pointlessly wasted."- he said mockingly, crossing his arms on his chest.

"Don't you understand?"- and the princess stood up from her place. "This is not about our plan, it's about their intentions to sabotage it! They don't know that we know the wedding is canceled for the day- "

"What if it's all a fraud aiming to catch our spy."- Cedric hissed. "It is possible, don't you think? Our spy in the castle is everything we have to keep track of the main events behind the scenes!"

The two leaped into a long moment of piercing each other with stone looks. Leonida was striving to drive the shapeshifter crazy and she was about to meet success. What was she, a moron? Or was she doing this deliberately...

"Be more thoughtful, will you, Leonida."- was what he felt contented with saying, just in case her original idea was to defame him in front of Phobos. Up until that day, Cedric had consoled himself with the idea of the wedding being the last day he was forced to endure the spoiled princess...But now that everything had sunk into unclear waters, the real wedding date included, the blond man was starting to lose hope and patience.

"It is possible, but it still doesn't matter."- Leonida asserted cold-bloodedly. "The two of you aren't following my thought! I'm trying to tell you to think more... _vengefully_. Whatever is happening today is happening. We don't have to stay and do nothing in the wait, just because the guardians have decided to play games with us. We might as well score a point or two while they're distracted."

Cedric and Phobos exchanged glances. Then the prince lazily took a seat, scratching his chin with one hand, aiming all his attention at the woman. Cedric sighed mentally, cursing the fact that she could so easily captivate his master and then turned to her to glare at her poisonously.

"Elucidate your words."

Leonida smiled self-gladly and looked at the two men. Oh, they were too adorable when they didn't know how to read her. Which was, as a matter of fact, more often than they could imagine...

"To shed some light on the entire idea, let me remind you that my brother's wedding being off is supposedly a secret for the rest of the kingdom. The villagers and all of Queen Elyon's loyal subjects might as well still be off to the center of the capital, where this magical day was supposed to take place. I suggest we give all these lost souls a proper entertainment."- she smiled even more sinisterly once she noticed Phobos, himself, starting to move his lips in what appeared to be a malicious grin. "Send the Larveggs. The death of a few dozen peasants sounds like a lovely revenge for the royals' little trick with the sudden wedding canceling, don't you think? This is going to be our pre-wedding gift to your sister and my brother."

"A random act of cruelty will hardly help the prince's main goals."- Cedric frowned, completely unimpressed by Leonida's suggestion.

His original opinion of her seemed to be correct. She was either a lousy planner or a deceitful bitch, or much rather, both. But the Prince, on the other hand, didn't seem to notice the lack of sense in her suggestion:

"I find the idea lovely, indeed. You shall go with the monsters, Cedric. Pass my greetings to the crowd."

"But, my Liege, going out in the open in a time like this when the rebels and..."

"Oh, come on. What's the matter with you?"- Phobos was getting peeved. "Scared to spill a little blood for me? That never seemed to be the case for you in the past."

"It's not the case today either, master, it never will, I'm just concerned that we might be discovered prematurely...What is more, for your plan to rule over the United Dimensions to be successful, such acts of violence are not appropriate anymore-"

"We will think about that once the United Dimensions are established."- Phobos interrupted him coldly. "Till date, all that is still just a goal, which means, that the old ways of dealing with my subjects are still more than appropriate and efficient. Besides. The villagers are never going to be a part of my target groups, anyway. Go now, Cedric. Go and spill some blood in my name!"

* * *

Caleb hid behind one big oak tree and observed the sight before himself with a deep frown. He had been up since the earliest morning hours; it was already noon time and he was starting to feel tired. But stopping for even a moment today was not an option. Not since the entire rebellion was on alert, going around the kingdom in groups, ready for the fight, all united in one master plan. One plan to bring the escaped tyrant to justice. A plan complied by his mother, of course. The young man took a deep breath, grateful to have her, a feeling that hadn't left him ever since she had returned for good. He knew that with Nerissa's sagacity, his fellow rebels' strength and the Queen's support, their chances were higher than ever. That knowledge gave Caleb undying strength, even more than his patriotism usually did, as he said in a low voice:

"It's the same person that left the castle the first time this morning, right?"

"Yes, yes!"- Blunk nodded enthusiastically. "Blunk never mistake trail of spies. Especially when that spy have...very strange scent."

Caleb tightened his lips and proceeded to use his binoculars to double-check. Their target had reached the final destination. Blunk jumped in his place, startled by a bee that had fought back at his attempt to eat it.

Yes, after so many years, Caleb definitely valued the passling. Blunk was a vital companion in many ways and cases. Keeping a low profile, however, wasn't one of them.

"_Shut up, will you?_ We can't afford to be caught right now! I'm still astounded. That spy...she's just a child. How can she be working for Phobos."

"Don't take Blunk's word for it. Look with Caleb's own eyes!"

The smuggler was right, and Caleb knew it. Even before they saw the girl get back on the path, clearly having delivered her news. As she headed back for the Palace, the man reached for his radio transmitter. He stopped when the girl stopped on the road and looked around herself.

Caleb saw himself forced to drag Blunk with himself in the wild blackberry bushes near their original hideout. Trying to ignore the pain caused by the thorns and keep Blunk's mouth shut at the same time, he gawked when he saw the innocent looking girl develop a pair of wings with which she fled into the sky.

That certainly made more sense.

"Spy girly bad for Blunk. She eat passling meat for breakfast!"

"Alright. Maybe she's not just a child."- with a frown on his face, Caleb reached for the device and used it to contact his mother.

"Mom, hey. Yeah. We asserted the spy. She's a shapeshifter of some sort, poses as one of the staff kids in the castle. No, I don't know her name. She's short with ginger hair and these gleaming green-blue eyes. She's wearing an old, beige shawl. She's going back to the castle right now."

Up in the Mage Tower, Nerissa held her transmitter closer, an excited, yet determined look on her face.

"Perfect."- she smiled. "She'll be welcomed befittingly, you stay where you are, Caleb, and make sure that you'll remain unnoticed. Where is this hideout located, exactly?"

_"No, it has no coordinates."_\- came her son's voice from the other line. _"It's deep in the forest, but it's rather close to the Palace. Must be so that the spy can inform them of latest events more quickly... The nerve of these scumbuckets, to stay on Meridian after we chased them away from Coronia...how did they even make it through the veil?! Anyway, I'm sending Blunk back. He'll lead dad and the other men back to me."_

"Alright, my dear boy. Hang in there. This time, the information they've received will have them _choke_."- Nerissa raised her chin higher.

As she hung the radio device back on the thick belt of her abalone colored frock, the former guardian leaned her hands against the table in front of herself. Everything was going according to plan. Her little guile to trick and make the spy expose herself at the same time had worked. Spreading a rumor around the Palace always did...Now, the spy had successfully brought a new piece of information to Phobos and his princess. What she didn't know was how _lethal_ that information was for her masters. Tricking information that Nerissa had dropped in order to get them where she wanted them.

"It is time to settle our scores, enchantress. You and your darling marionette of a prince have had enough fun at my expense over the last few months. It's my turn."- Nerissa arched her back dramatically. "It's my turn to revel in your defeat. "

* * *

Elyon looked around herself and took a big breath. She was about to use her powers to create an entire crowd of phantasms. Images of people that could talk and move on their own, but weren't actually there for real. It was kind of how she had made holograms of herself to lure Caleb back when Phobos was poisoning her with his lies, years ago, but she preferred not to think of that. She closed her eyes and when she opened them again, her ghostly wedding guests were there, waiting for her to lead them to the special place for the ceremony.

Feeling Andan take her hands in his, gave her some courage. Elyon looked at his handsome face and couldn't help but smile in return to his kindness. She was just about to stage her own wedding. Having her future husband's support in that sure did make her feel better.

"Off you go now."- Nerissa looked at the two expectantly.

They were just behind the castle gardens, ready to get going. She was there to give them last instructions before going to the next place where her presence was required. Her entire plan to deal with Phobos and Leonida was based on a 'divide and conquer' type of strategy and hence, the ex-guardian needed to be exceptionally prompt and pragmatic.

"You remember all that you should do, right?"- she sought clarification. "You'll manage till I get the chance to join you?"

"I will."- Elyon said firmly and then nodded at Nerissa's identical phantasmal image among the wedding crowd. "Until then, she'll be with us. Don't look at me like that. We don't want Phobos to have any suspicions."

"No, we don't."- Nerissa agreed and then put her hands on her waist. "I have high hopes that your brother will have only regrets by the end of the day."

Elyon smiled awry. She hoped that the witch was right.

"The entire plan is ingenious."- Andan interfered sheepishly. "But Leonida is not to be underestimated. You don't know what she is capable of... We risk a lot by leaving her out free while dealing with Phobos- "

"Yeah, yeah, she killed your father. We know."- Nerissa interrupted him. She almost glared at the young man before going on. For God's sake, she had only included him in the plan for a better future outcome, she didn't need his lack of courage to dispel her firmness. "Do not worry about that, dear prince. Your sister will be unpleasantly surprised. I will not allow her to emerge victorious from this battle. I promise you that."

At the end, the brunette saw herself obliged to send the two royals off a tad hastily. After all, Phobos and that royal skank had, for sure, already headed for the place of the ceremony...

"What is going on around here?"

Nerissa turned around to meet a set of warm brown, angry eyes:

"Oh, Will, is that you-"

"No, it's Freckles the clown."- Will retorted abrasively, glaring at the woman before herself.

In her red sweatshirt and in her normal human form, the guardian reached to Nerissa's shoulder, but that didn't stop her from confronting her massively:

"What were you thinking, Nerissa? That you can organize an action against Phobos without us? Why would you even do that?! I've been keeping an eye on you ever since Fadden Hills! I knew you were up to something; I see Elyon is in cahoots with you, great, that's great! I mean, at least that! But why did you have to start today, the day that Elyon allegedly canceled as her wedding day?"

Nerissa rolled her eyes and exhaled deeply. She didn't have time for this.

"How did you think of coming here, anyway."

"Did you forget you were supposed to go to the studios with Matt? You had said you wanted to record something."- Will jogged her memory with a scowl on her face. "When he called me and said you haven't shown up at all and then Cornelia told me you, Julian and Caleb all left the house, early in the morning, I connected the dots."

"Oh, that's right. Experience finally made you use your brain the right way."

But Nerissa's smug smile and tone while saying that, didn't feel right. Will felt her jaw hang in outrage:

"You didn't forget! You wanted your intentions to be discovered, didn't you?! But why?"

Nerissa eyed her with a guileful smile. Will could feel herself about to get very angry, any minute now.

"I can't even unite the girls now, they're all busy running urgent errands."- she said sternly.

"See, I knew that too. That's why I didn't warn you in advance."- the ex-guardian retorted, crossing her arms on her chest. "But that's not important right now. You're just about sufficient to- "

"No. We're going to talk about this now. With the details and everything. I'm not going to do anything to your advantage unless you prove the worth of your plan to me. And no games, please, Nerissa. Surely this must mean more to you than the silly rivalry you so zealously keep between us."

By now, the redhead had given up trying to read the other woman's motives in her eyes. Her contradictive actions, bizarre, secretive ideas and schemes, had to be confronted openly, and even then, the chances of getting to the bottom of Nerissa's true intentions were questionable.

"Fine. You are interested in hearing, then open your ears and listen. I've walked against myself, as to team with Elyon of all people."-the green-eyed woman asserted, her body language as harsh as her tone. "And you know why, my dear Will? Because I've found a way to drain Phobos's powers with the Heart of Meridian, which is his sister."

"But...Elyon swore not to imprison him. She can't do it alone- "

"During her false wedding ceremony, she will detract all his life force without overstepping her silly oath."- Nerissa interrupted her with a look of annoyance on her face. "We suspected that there's a spy in the Palace, remember? Well, I not only managed to reveal her identity, I managed to _use_ her. By having Elyon share with her staff that her wedding is "secretly" being rescheduled. Secretly from the people of both Coronia and Meridian...Up until a proper time arises to tell them that Andan and herself have already wed _privately_. Anyhow, the spy, of course, took the bait. Caleb followed her to Phobos's hideout and allowed her to deliver the details of the new place and time of the "private" wedding ceremony. The false ceremony, that is. "- Nerissa continued, unabashed. "You were right when you said that the wedding is the occasion our enemies are waiting for. That is why the wedding turned into the _perfect_ bait! And when Phobos gets his life force detracted by the Queen during our little pitfall ceremony, we'll be there to take care of what is left of him."

"Is he...is he going to die?"- Will asked, somewhat disturbed.

Nerissa replied to her with a cold glance that didn't need any more eloquent words, which she uttered, nevertheless:

"At this point, should we really be discussing that? Does it matter to you?"

Will stared back at her, feeling a new wave of anger inside herself. There it was, that element of insanity and this outrageous presumptuousness. This so annoying maniacalness, part of Nerissa's personality, making her believe that everything she does is to be crowned with success, regardless of the horror degree of its character.

"No, you're right. It doesn't. But you can't deny that your entire plan is of an uncertain nature. You should've discussed it with us, we're supposed to be working together on this."

Nerissa gifted her with a glare, almost offended by her statement. _Uncertain nature? Dear Will, you're just jealous that you have never been and never will be able to think of such plans. That's why I didn't tell you or any of the other guardians. Because I didn't want to waste my time and energy on your hesitancy and overrated morality..._  
The redhead endured the burning sparks of the green eyes looking in her, as the other woman opened her mouth to retort.

"Look at you being smart. Smart_er_, to be more exact."- and the ex-guardian smiled stonily. "But risk wins, risk loses. You can either join my plan or get out of my hair. I'm Mage and I'm not giving up this golden opportunity; not for the risk of bad circumstances, and most surely not for your cowardice."

* * *

**A/N:_ Nerissa and Will have been competing, each doing all in her power to be a step ahead of the other for months now. Both have their reasons to keep up the 'natural' rivalry between them. They're two guardians of the Heart. Two keepers. Nerissa can't accept her replacement and her team of guardians to manage things well or even better than her; she's not keen on splitting the glory either. Will has her own concerns. With the new special mission that the Oracle gave her _**_(chapter 9__)_**_, she's responsible for making sure that the ex-guardian doesn't give in to the darkness once again. But that is a tricky endeavor- Nerissa is hardheaded and determined to protect Meridian at all costs. And her newest plan to achieve that discourages Will. Is this really the best way to end the Noble Hunt or even the most precise arrow of the sorceress will miss the target because of the trembling of one hand. The hand drawing the bow of revenge towards her own brother..._**

**Stay tuned!  
~ xoxo**


	19. The Fruit of Sin Part One

**_Chapter 19: The Fruit of Sin One_**

_The envy and greed that have taken hold of the brother's heart, drain the last drops of love left in his sister's soul_

* * *

Elyon Brown- Escanor had never imagined that she'd live to see the day when she'd fake her own arranged wedding. All her once dreams and opinions of marriage were in the dust by now. But as she stood by the lonely altar, somewhere far behind the hills north from Touris Filney, clasping her bouquet of white poppies and lilies, she couldn't help but shiver.

The abandoned altar in the outskirts of that particular settlement was perfect for the occasion because of many reasons. One of which was its mystic origins. And the mystic objects that were just recently put around it... As usual, Nerissa knew what she was doing. Her desire to see Phobos terminated was surely greater than the Queen's. Elyon's was more reconciliation and resentment. Dark emotions which he had left it her, strong enough to make her go against her own principles. She, the girl who once could not even think of hurting a fly, would now turn her brother into _pure nothingness_...

Andan put his hand on his wife to-be's shoulder. His love, she could indeed feel, but what she could not yet determine was whether that love was meant for her, or rather her power and ability to preserve his kingdom.

Elyon sighed. Once again, she was letting her demons get the best of her. She had to have more trust in herself and those around her, she constantly reminded herself of that, but none of the things that surrounded her could give her that much needed sense of security.

The dry winter wind and gray sky, ruling around them, were sucking her hope out. The unknown gave no peace to her young heart. The presence of a man she was supposed to trust near her, tampered with her confidence.

The young Queen stirred in her place nervously and took a look around herself. The crowd of phantasms surrounded her and the prince, as they stood by the altar. The altar was all set. All set according to their plan. Now all that was left was to wait for her brother. But even though she was supposed to await his arrival short for breath, once she actually heard that familiar, low, _despotic_ voice, she felt her heart tighten painfully:

"My apologizes, dear sister. We didn't mean to be late for your wedding. But after you distrustfully cancelled and then decided to turn the ceremony a tad more private, you hindered us. Just a little, though, have no worry. We're here now."

Phobos was on the tip of the iceberg of his breakneck, princy arrogance. In his dark garments, consisting of a long mantle and a pair of pants, all made of finest silk, embroidered with a set of blood-red gems and his long, fair hair flying back with the wind, he looked as confident as ever.

"On the other hand, you know what they say. A Queen is never late. Everyone else are just early."- Leonida added in a sultry voice as she lined up with the man.

Elyon and Andan turned around to face them, a set of thousand different emotions swirling around. Elyon glared at the new-arrived pair hatefully, as her fiancé locked fingers around her wrist again. They exchanged quick glances. It was now or never.

"Excellent location, by the way."- Phobos sneered and for a second, her heart went in her heels.

_He knows! He knows everything!_

But just as her scalding suspicions were getting the best of her once more, her brother allayed them, unwittingly:

"This is where a part of our great-grandmother Winona's dust was scattered after her cremation. A sacred place, our mother called it... An appropriate place for you to wed. Even if you hoped for that to remain a secret from me, in vain, sister. I'm here. I'm here to celebrate with you."

Elyon closed her eyes and exhaled in relief, finally relaxing her brows for a second. No. Phobos wasn't aware of he was in for and that could only bring her joy. As joyful as luring her homicidal brother into a deadly trap, risking everything could be, of course.

"So am I."- Leonida interjected with a devious smile. "It makes me very happy that none of you are fighting us. We're not here to fight either. We're here to celebrate."

"Why would you, or we, for that matter, want to take a part of the same celebration."- Andan's harsh voice broke Elyon off of her befuddled thoughts. "No one has invited you here, you are criminals and will one day, sooner or later, rot in hell! How dare you show up after all you've done, Leonida! You killed our father and the Gods know what you've done with our mother! You will be seized at once, for your audacity to even show up here, nefarious trollop!"

"Watch your tongue, brother!"- Leonida retorted, looking daggers at her sibling's burning glare.

Elyon carefully measured them with a glance. Both Coronians were beside themselves and neither of them was going to relent. Leonida was an insane woman, but her false courtesy and comfort had quickly been diminished by Andan's open hostility, something which made the young queen quite restless. What if her fiancé lost his nerve and lashed out, fizzling their plans?

Unlike the Coronain siblings, Phobos appeared to be rather amused. Elyon narrowed her eyes as she watched him observe the glaring contest between their 'better halves'.

_No, Phobos. I will wipe that stupid smug grin off your face today,_ Elyon thought, meeting her brother's cold pale-green eyes._ I will punish you for all your evil deeds, you soulless being... You find joy in others' misery, yet no one, this universe knows, has been able to build their happiness for the account of somebody else's crushed dreams and pain. You won't be an exception._

"Oh, well, leaving aside my darling brother-in-law's rude greeting."- the Evil Prince began, a wicked smile playing on his lips, as he slowly started to approach his sister. "I believe everything and everyone are to be much more favorable, once our news is delivered. Lose the stone face, sister. It's a happy occasion. You mustn't sulk on your wedding day. Not when that same day is all so special for your brother, also."

Elyon blenched slightly noticeably but decided to ignore his words. Whatever he was saying and whatever he wanted to achieve wasn't important. It was important for her to get the plan on with.

"I'm glad you came, Phobos. You've obviously finally grown a pair. Congratulations."

"Excuse me?"- Phobos cocked an irritated brow, making his sister smile coldly in response. "And what is that supposed to mean, your Highness?"

"Oh, I think you understand what I mean to say."- she went on calmly.

Leonida and Andan had even halted their argument, too busy being fascinated by the lines being exchanged between the other sibling-pair.

"All these months you hid from me. I can only be happy that you finally gathered the courage to face me. We both know who the stronger one is, between me and you. That has always been such a big complex for you, hasn't it? I guess I should thank her for helping you deal with your inferiority issues."- Leonida just gawped at the other woman as she turned to her and gifted her with another cold smile. "Thanks to Leonida."- Elyon went on. "We can settle our scores once and for all before my marital life begins."

Phobos needed a second to swallow the bitterness of the insult and come to terms with his sister's audacity, without blasting at her. The man stirred in his place, tightening his fists. No, he had bigger plans to achieve. The conniving little bitch and her attitude weren't going to make him forget his goals.

And as the Prince opened his mouth to reply to the Queen again, he had already returned his smirk, she so hated.

"Ah, Elyon, but you haven't even allowed me to break my news to you yet. Our news, that is. Sister, I hope that you haven't forgotten the oath you gave me. Your friends seem humbled enough. Follow their example, will you? Your hands are tied."

Elyon watched him wink at her 'friends', he had no idea were actually phantasms, a cautious spark playing in her eye.

"If they are, come and_ shake_ my hand, brother."- she said innocently, yet in a pinprick tone, which she knew would trigger him. "Why are you staying all the way over there? Don't tell me you're afraid of your little sister and her greater power. You mentioned some news that you have? Come and announce them to my face."

Phobos smiled insincerely. What did this simp think? He was going to _bury_ her with his big news. Did she really think she could peeve or intimidate him when he knew better than anyone that her days on the throne were numbered? Yes, they were numbered and he was going to tell it to her right at this very moment.

And the guardians? Well, they and all their allies would simply watch and cry together with his spoiled brat of a sister, once the announcement was made.

Leonida watched the prince take slow, yet firm steps towards the altar, maintaining an eye contact with his sister the entire time. He was so confident, so smug as he walked... But she wasn't.

The more she looked around herself, the more the oddity in the entire picture became clearer to the blonde. All these people, their enemies, that just stood by the scene, like some sort of _décor_. The outré altar, far from the capital and all the loyal subjects, and Elyon. Standing in the middle of it, a look of covert triumph on her face.

* * *

Cedric had had a bad feeling about the entire day ever since morning. He had woken up with cold feet, in the literal meaning of the phrase, and whenever that happened, misfortune was sure to follow.

He had woken up with cold feet the day of Queen Elyon's coronation, 11 years ago, when an end had been put to Phobos's reign. He had had cold feet on the day of his failure in the final battle in Heatherfield, ten years ago, as well.

Up until now, the shapeshifter had chosen to completely ignore that bad feeling. He had chosen to ignore his misgivings because if he didn't, he was destined to never succeed in anything. It was better to try and fail than not try at all, right?

But today, his limbs were ice-cold, and ignoring the discomfort was far from easy. Even after he had transformed in his serpent form, leading the Larveggs and a group of Lurdens, to attack the central square, the awful coldness and grave feeling refused to go away.

Maybe it was because the man couldn't trust Leonida and her judgment. Maybe because their actions were barely thought through and foolish, or maybe because, ten minutes after launching his attack, the huge snake found himself roped to the hard ground by giant roots.

"You came here even though your masters were already headed for the new wedding location. You came just to taste blood and pain."

Kadma Starlighter had a thing for summarizing situations, people, and their flaws, in particular. And as she gazed down at Cedric condemnatory, her purple apparel and long, dark braid flew back with the wind created by the earth that was opening under the monstrous Larvegss, trapping them in mud mounds for good.

"You terrible beast, once we take you with ourselves to Zamballa, as a prisoner, you'll regret being this blood-thirsty."

Cedric glared at the ex-guardian while trying to set himself free in vain. His small army was reckoned with in the matter of minutes, as before his very eyes, these three loathsome women gathered.

It had been a set-up, which he had expected. The people, whose death Phobos had ordered under Leonida's influence, were safe and sound, while he was a prisoner. _Again_. Cedric snorted inaudibly. He wasn't surprised when the three heart keepers shattered the monsters. Each one of them was strong on her own, but their powers combined, the power of three different hearts, was cosmic. They could definitely destroy him and do whatever they wanted with him, thanks to all that power. They weren't gullible either... But to his luck, the shapeshifter had actually paid some attention to his cold feet this morning.

"Why is he grinning?"- Will said to Nerissa's ear, alarmed by Cedric's facial expression not being in unison with his situation.

Nerissa raised an eyebrow and then relaxed it back down.

"A worthy question."

But just as the redhead was about to tell the raven-haired guardian that she wasn't liking what her tone was suggesting, Cedric spoke:

"You can forget about imprisoning me and let me go now if you know your _bessst interesstsss_. Unless of _courssse_, you don't care about what happensss with Queen Elyon's left-behind bridesmaids and ring bearers. These poor kids from the villages nearby. From the remote provinces..."- and he nodded somewhere in the distance. "All of them were promised to be a part of Elyon's wedding, right? She forgot to take them to her new location, however, and you forgot to hide them from the open, I'm afraid. Don't worry, they're under _our_ wing now."

"What is he talking about?"- Raythor, who had just made his way to the three women, barked.

And as the sounds of little kids' anxious voices were heard, all eyes followed them to a group of hooded figures in the distance behind Cedric, who just grinned.

"Shapeshifters..."- Raythor answered his own question in a murmur. "But how- "

"Did you seriously expect me to fall in your trap, with a rightfully functioning mind, without some sort of guarantee for my salvation?"- the shapeshifter hissed with resentment. "_Pleasse_. I only followed her Majesssty's orders, but I'm not that slow-witted to come here unprepared! I knew this had to be a trap. These children I met, picking flowers in the woods, were just the thing I needed to come here and pretend to be unaware of the situation."- and letting out a shrill, contended hiss-like laugh, the Lord stirred in his place. "What you'll do now is release me and let me go. You already evaporated my army of Larvegss, but if you try to do the same with one of us, these poor kids will pay the price."

Raythor grunted with resentment, but he had to accept the defeat. The three guardians beside him, also knew that their hands were tied. Cedric's smug grimace made Will's blood boil, but when he ordered Kadma to release him from her roots, she nodded nevertheless. The ex-guardian blenched, but she did what she had to.

Will watched tensely, her gaze moving from the snake to the poor child hostages in the distance. There was no way to rush and save them without endangering them. They were too far away and the figures surrounding them were too many.

"Good."- the shapeshifter hissed, once he was finally free. "Now. Before we go, I'll need to know that you're not going to come chasing us to the so-called wedding ceremony, once these children are no longer endangered. _Excussse_ me, but we all know there has never been trust between us."

"What do you want?"- the redhead asked through gritted teeth.

"Well."- Cedric pretended to be deep in thought, as he towered above his enemies. "Since your plan partly failed, why not disrupt it completely? I'd like to be able to reach the prince without you on my tail. I want to open his eyes and have him flee before your people seize or hurt him. You can suck that failure up, can't you? I mean unless you don't care about the fate of the little bridesmaids and ring bearers."

"How dare you use children as a bargaining chip, you revolting spawn!"- Kadma interrupted him with hatred in her voice. "You and your prince are felons and trash, that's what you are!"

"Will, if the old cow doesn't shut her trap, one of these children will lose a head."- Cedric hissed deviously, pinning the redhead with his serpent pupils. "The decision is yours. Our freedom or their lives."

Suppressing her desire to destroy the reptile, the keeper of the Heart nodded grimly, keeping her hands up.

"Fine, you win. We'll agree on anything. Don't hurt these kids...They're innocent."

"No, that's not enough. I want a, how did you call it? Ah, yes. An oath."- and the snake smiled wickedly. "A magical oath. Swear that you're not going to come after me to the place of the _fake_ ceremony. I'll give you a few moments to decide."- he added triumphantly, giving the little group his back and crawling a few steps back.

"My plan is not to fail because of some _queer_ shifter and the villagers' stupidity."- Will almost jumped once she heard the venomous low voice of Nerissa, who was talking for the first time since Cedric had announced his hidden trump card.

"We have no choice."- she murmured bitterly.

"Oh, we shall see."

"What is there to see, Nerissa, it's too dangerous. We can't toy with these kids' lives."- Kadma interfered.

Nerissa held her head high.

"Bring her."- she then turned to hiss in Raythor's ear. "Bring the spy from the carriage."

Glum, but decisive, the captain nodded with a stern face and headed back to the royal carriage he had come with. Will blinked in dismay as she watched him return after a minute, with what looked like a child, tied up with electrical rings, in his hands.

"What the..."

"I suppose I could agree to that. I could give in and allow you to thwart my plan."- Nerissa called coldly, grabbing a hold of the ginger-haired child. "Or we could trade your spy's life and welfare for that of these children you blackmail us with."

Cedric turned around to face her but his face had already lost all its triumph. Will, however, still couldn't understand.

"Mancy."- he whispered in shock. "No..."

"Spy? Mancy? What the heck? How can you use this child to get out of the situation, Nerissa, do we have to go over what's right and what's wrong again?"

"I'm Mage."- Nerissa said stubbornly "And if I must use one dirty shapeshifter spy like Mancy, as a bargaining coin, to save Meridian children from these worthless sludges over there, then I _will_."

"Discriminating shifters from other Meridian ethnicities, some Mage you are."- Cedric hissed hatefully. "The Queen might be liberal, but her subjects not as much, I see. You call yourself Mage, sorceress, but you're just a villain. You'll never be like _her_, she never made a difference- "

"Oh, bite me."- the ex-guardian snapped and glared at him. "Besides, you never even knew her. "

"You're wrong! My mother knew the ancient Mage before you took her place with deceit. She helped her, you'd never-"- Cedric argued, but the woman cut him off harshly, absolutely unimpressed with his words:

"Decide. Mancy or these children. Can you afford to lose your precious little spy?"

Still confused, Will looked over at Mancy, who Nerissa held roughly, pointing a fistful of lighting at. Spy or not, she was a child and looked utterly terrified. But before Will could say something, Kadma had rushed to her friend's support:

"How dare you seek democracy and equal rights, monster? You were the one who threatened innocent children first! One reaps what one sows!"

Cedric looked torn. He had known this would be a bad idea...He also knew that he should've paid more attention to his cold feet... Each time...But in the end, he saw himself forced to reconcile:

"Fine. Don't hurt her...I'll...I'll release the village children. But you'll soon regret this, I'm warning you. You can't stop Phobos. You're trying sorceress, but all your attempts will be in vain."

Will raised an eyebrow. And why was Cedric ready to abandon his threats and wishes in Mancy's name? What was their connection?

Nerissa sneered coldly, as she held her minacious sphere of magic dangerously close to Mancy's face:

"Enough hallucinations, fool. Let's get this over with, we have a ceremony to attend. And, by sunset, I'll personally show you just how defeated your Phobos will end to be."

Cedric didn't reply. He just looked daggers at the darned woman.

Then, the trade could begin. One by one, the village children were sent to cross the distance and when all of them, except one, were with Raythor and Kadma, it was time for Mancy to go to the shifters' side. Of course, Nerissa and the veiled shifter, which held the last sobbing bridesmaid firmly, were not willing to make the first move of trust and change.

"She'll be free when you set Mancy free."- Cedric said with a crude expression on his face.

"Forget about it."- the former guardian tossed her hair and held Mancy even tighter in her electrical rings. "I'm not taking risks."

"Neither are we."- Cedric hissed. "You don't expect us to just surrender, do you? We also need some reassurance."

Nerissa tilted her head and gave him an outrageous smile.

"I don't expect you to, but I'd say it's in your best interest."

"Since when do you care about our interests? Enough, sorceress."

Her green eyes followed a certain gust of wind and when the sand erupted around the last hostage, she only smiled victoriously.

"Good job, Sandpit!"- Raythor cheered once the sand golem came flying down with the child. "We can now take all these children to safety!"

"Go."- Nerissa ordered before her friend could protest.

Kadma just nodded firmly before getting in the royal carriage with Raythor, speeding towards the Palace.

Cedric blinked in perplexity and turned around only to see the shifter that had held the girl down on the ground. Their last captive-gone. Macny- still in Nerissa's hands.

"NOO!"

He tried to attack her with his tail. But she just needed to raise her hand to halt his attack and numb his entire body. She was too powerful with the new Heart. _Too powerful._

"Did you seriously think that you'll get away that easily?"- Nerissa's voice thundered. "After your master used my grandson as means of blackmail at my ball, and then vamoosed, you expected something different? Oh, no. But you and your Mancy are going to reunite. Not here, but in your cell on Zamballa. Your new home."

Will was going through her own thoughts on shapeshifters, their deceitful human appearances and the idea of using Mancy as means of blackmail against Cedric, an idea clashing with her moral beliefs and values, when she noticed something alarming. On one house roof, not too near, but not too far from them either. Nerissa was too absorbed in her gloating and the seeming victory to notice it. The suspicious figure and their menacing bow, which was being pulled right at that moment, aimed straight at them. There was not a second to be wasted, the redhead knew it. She also knew that what she was about to do would result in the enemy's possible escape, but what other choice did she have? In the spur of the moment, she pulled Nerissa back with herself, flying as far from the ground as she could. But even with that, the arrow that had just collided with their previous standing point, released its suffocating green smoke, enveloping them in an impenetrable curtain.

"_Drat!_"- Nerissa yelled in vain. The smoke was beginning to clear up, but Cedric and Mancy had disappeared. Will looked up to realize that so had the mysterious archer. "They've run away! This is your fault!"- the brunette hissed, turning to glare at Will.

"Whaat?"- she exclaimed, irritated. "You'd rather me leaving you to be shot? Didn't you see that someone launched an arrow, Nerissa? Cedric had help; it's no one's fault that he managed to flee. He had this emergency option pre-planned."

"Thank you for stating the obvious."- Nerissa snarled back. "But we're expected elsewhere now. I'll have to think about this new mysterious supporter of Phobos later."

"Wait a minute."- Will took the gleaming Heart out of her blouse. "I believe that the Heart of Kandrakar would like for us to fetch a few additional allies before we head for wherever Elyon's luring Phobos to. Cornelia is reaching to me."- she added, explaining herself before opening a portal in the dual veil.

"Whatever. Just hurry up."- Nerissa rolled her eyes and crossed her arms on her chest.

She couldn't get over the disappointment and anger over her flopped action that easily. No, the fact that Cedric and his spy were backed up by someone else on Meridian, and the even more irritating reality of their escape, was to give Nerissa a headache. And whenever her head ached, she was prone to losing her temper and sense of morality. _More_ than usual.

* * *

"Andan!"- Elyon screamed in shock as Leonida swung her fiancé in the air, like a rag doll, tightening the grip of her magic around his neck. "What are you doing?"- she yelled reproachfully.

Leonida gifted her with a black ice of a look.

"What do you think? That I'm that stupid? What's really going on around here is of no importance, what is, is that this false ceremony is over, we're leaving and you're going to stand back! Unless of course, you want to be _widowed before you've even wed_."

Utterly strained, with her heart in her feet, Elyon managed to retort, glancing at Phobos. His right foot was still out of the altar's scope...

"What are you talking about? My wedding is today, just like me and Andan originally decided. Let him go! You said you're not here to fight!"

"We're not here to fight, but we're not here to fall into a trap either!"- the honey-blonde yelled back and then pointed at the crowd. Elyon didn't follow her finger, her troubled eyes were on Andan, hanging in the air and turning blue by now...She had to do something faster... "I happened to notice that not only are your guests unusually static! None of them have shadows! Which means that they're not really here. "

"What?!"- Phobos looked around abruptly with hatred in his eyes. "Bitch."

"Good try, but not good enough!"- Leonida took another step back, blind to the sufferings her strangling spell was inflicting on her helpless brother. "Don't try toying with me, Queen Elyon of Meridian! We'll be back to announce what we have to announce at your actual wedding! Don't you try sabotaging that if you know what's good for you and your kingdom!"

"Why is it so important for you to attend my wedding?!"- Elyon screamed, once again looking up at her fiancé hanging in the air. "Just state your demands now and begone! And stop hurting Andan!"

"NO!"- the other woman yelped relentlessly. "I will kill him unless you give me your word! That is my demand and final offer!"

The straw-blonde ruler tightened her fists. If she tolerated Leonida's demeanor another second wasted in vain, Andan would die and she'd lose it. Her last drop of sanity and will to live. No, she had to do something to stop this madness! And then, she noticed it- her lifeline signal. Phobos's two feet were both on the altar's upper platform.

"I just remembered something, Leonida."- the young Queen then turned to the other woman, coldly. "I don't like to receive demands and orders. Especially in the borders of my own kingdom!"

"NOOO!"

The energy fireball that Elyon let off, almost caught Leonida by surprise. She had to use her both hands, dropping Andan face flat down on the way, to create a golden force shield to repel the attack. But even with that, the Queen's spell was too powerful and fast, Leonida was sent flying back, and even if she landed on her feet, by some insane chance, she was out of the altar. Just like Elyon had wanted.

"You've overflowing of newfound chutzpah, sister."- Phobos turned to her, gritting his teeth, once relieved that Leonida had ended unharmed. "I'll wipe that smirk off your deuced face!"

"Now, Ely. Do it now!"- Andan cheered her on, as he rolled forward to escape one of Phobos's lingering dark spells.

Andan was down on the grass, out of the altar and so was his sister. Elyon turned to face her own brother, striving to look unfazed as the maniacal prince roared in his fury.

But regardless of how furious he was and how much he wanted to blast everything around, the process of his terminal dethroning had already started. The phantasms had vanished. The mystic gates of the altar were closing, outlined by the three relics that Elyon and Nerissa had previously hidden in the three opposite columns of the said altar.

_*Flashback to the previous night*_

_"How are you sure that this ritual will have the wanted effect? What if something goes wrong."- Elyon asked, hugging herself in her long royal cape._

_The night was cold and veiled in fog as she and the older woman made their way to the altar. An altar that had once been made sacred and mystic with her great-grandmother's ashes._

_"What if something goes wrong?"_

_"It won't."- the ex-guardian replied shortly. "Once you lure Phobos in the heart of the altar, your own powers, deviated through your locket, your mother's crown jewel and her grandmother's mace* will give you the natural right to drain Phobos of all his magic and life force. Because they all belong to the Queen. That's you."_

_"I know all that, you told me the facts and the story already."- the girl interrupted her._

_They had reached the place which now had to be prepped for the following day. And still..._

_"You also told me about planning to perform this ritual without my consent. That's not my point. I'm saying what if something goes wrong and the ritual fails to drain Phobos?"- Elyon said anxiously as she sat at the bottom step of the solitary altar. "What if someone tries to interrupt the ritual before it's over?"_

_Nerissa busied herself with placing the relics in their places, where they'd remain hidden in the main columns._

_"Don't test my nerves on the finish line, Queenlet. Once the three relics are activated and Phobos is in their range, you'll be the only one who'll have the ability to adjourn the rite of life force drainage. Now, be a dear and give me your hair locket."_

_*end of Flashback*_

"Nooo, my King, get out of there!"- Leonida screamed, but it was already too late.

When the prince turned around in daze, the mystic whirlwind of blinding bright-blue energy had sealed the open spaces between the columns of the altar.

Leonida tried to dive forward, but as she did that, she almost got herself stabbed by the sharp tip of a big sword.

"What do you think you're doing, Andan, you lousy brat!"- she spat and glared at the man that had halted her. "Out of my way, or I'll destroy you!"

But she couldn't and she knew it. She could already feel her darned mother's curse kicking in, in spite of the anti-curse amulet around her neck. Trying to harm any of her relatives would always result in feathers and defeat for her. And as if that wasn't enough, her brother sliced her protective spells, which were meant to push him away, effortlessly.

"What's the matter, Leonida? After all the grave crimes you've committed, you thought I'd still be foolish enough to face you unprepared?"- he challenged. "We've been preparing for this day. The Mage gave me this sword, it cuts through black magic, magic like yours! You ruined our family, but I won't allow you to ruin our kingdom as well!"

"Andan! Stay back or you'll regret it!"- the ex-princess shouted, as she dodged the swings of his sword. "Stay back!"

"Why so bitter, sister?"- and Andan tossed his hazel locks back, swinging the sword again, slowly, but surely, bringing her to a cornered position. "Not so ferocious on your own anymore, ha? Phobos, your inhumane lover, and ally, will be terminated and you'll be thrown in jail! We've brought you to a place which you can't flee by any magical ways! This is the end!"

Leonida panted angrily, as she dodged his attacks. Did he seriously believe that his stupid sword was what was mitigating her strength? It was the damn curse and turn of events, her pregnancy and their trap that had gotten her into this...

Leonida cursed mentally, swearing to escape this atrocious situation, one way or another. Once her plans were successful, she'd finally have the power to undo her mother's curse and then her brother would pay...

But now, the advantage was his. Andan pinned his sister to a big tree, harshly, putting the blade of his sword like that of a guillotine, against her neck.

"You're going to tell me exactly what I want to know if your darned life is still dear to you after everything."

Leonida bared her teeth as she listened to her brother. How insolent he was, talking to her like that after he had taken what was rightfully hers! But he was just faking his newfound valor, she heard it in his voice. Deep behind that façade, he was still terrified of her and all she was capable of. And Leonida suddenly knew just how to reverse the situation to _her_ advantage.

"You'll tell me how you got through the veil! How did you escape Coronia and what have you done with our mother!"

"Our mother, huh? You really love her, don't you, Andan."- Leonida giggled innocently, but with a death glare that made the man's back hair bristle. "If you care about mommy dearest so much, then perhaps you better get the weapon the _Mage_ gave you, away from me. Because, brother, if you dare tamper with me and my plans, if you dare cross me a second time, her Majesty Magana will pay the price."

Once it fell, her brother's facade revealed the fear and doubt on his face. He did not respond immediately but merely narrowed his eyes, losing his militancy, like a dog, whose teeth had just been pulled out.

Leonida smirked and pushed the blade away on her own, without him trying to resist her. Of course, he wouldn't risk. Not when Magana was in question.

"Now. I suggest you stop worrying about whether my life's dear to me or not, and get out of my way for good, baby brother. Stop playing the hero, it _doesn't_ suit you. You might as well also want to stop your sweet, but awfully brash fiancée. You know, just to make sure that mommy won't _wither_."

* * *

"Unimaginable! I won't end like this. I won't end outsmarted by any of you!"- Phobos hissed.

He was like a wild animal pressed to the wall in the altar sealed by energy whirlwind. He couldn't flee by any means and each one of his attack his sister could absorb. How had he gotten himself in this nightmare was a terrible question that tampered with his dignity and confidence, but he had to fight for dear life. He had to think of a way to escape that same darned girl he had once been able to control...

Unfortunately, that naive girl had matured, as the prince realized. And controlling her was now closer to impossible than ever...

"This is the end, brother."- Elyon stated firmly. "Think of all the people whose life force you've been draining for years, thanks to the hidden spring under the Palace. This altar will do the same, but this time the victim of its power will be only one, and that'll be you! After everything, Phobos, after every crime, death and all the other unethical acts committed by you, this seems like the perfect closure fate."

"Ethics."- Phobos smirked bitterly. "WHAT ETHICS?! This realm was never ethical to me! I've always been shown the door, while female heirs have been put on pedestals! How is that fair, Elyon. How is that ethical?!"

"Frankly, Phobos."- she retorted coldly. "_I don't care_!"

His pale green eyes widened in shock from what he had just heard, as Elyon continued:

"Because, from the first day of my life, you've never been fair to me. And even after all the compromises that I made for you, you turned and stabbed my back again. Stop flaunting how wronged you are. That ship has long sailed, and all your evil has erased all memories of the once unjustified boy. That boy is gone, Phobos, as are the last tears of hope and love which were left for you in my soul!"

"Sounds fair."- he said through gritted teeth. "But _frankly_, this means you're no different than our mother. Be careful once you undo me...History might repeat itself. Don't be surprised if one day you wake up and your son has organized a coup..."

The eerie meaning of the cold mock, ringed in her ears as she stared at the man in front of herself. A man so desperate, ready to do and say anything just to stay alive... But still, the provocation Phobos had shot, had had the wanted effect.

"If you must know, if I ever have a boy, I'll do everything in my power to spare him the hurt and misunderstanding! I might even fight for male descendants in the future, to actually be able to rule. If it's possible to overthrow certain mystical heights and legal affairs, then I'll fight for that, I'll be an activist for male rights on Meridian, Phobos, but even with that, any novelties in the law will never be in power for you! As far as you're concerned, your reign over this realm will never be welcomed or possible. Never, you evil pig!"

"Fascinating, sister!"- the prince sneered. "Your words are touching; despite the open malice you have for me! I'm finally ready to commend you for taking a good step as a ruler!"

Elyon frowned. She realized she couldn't spend another minute listening to this troubled and sick-minded man's ramblings. Using her powers to activate his, she slowly began to drain his life force in the whirlwind of energy that surrounded them, more and more tightly.

"My admirations, Elyon! Even if you kill me now, you'll do the right thing, I'm sure of it!"

"You should talk about what's right and 'good steps in ruling.' As I already said, keeping in mind all that you've done, you'll never be anything but a tyrant for Meridian! So save your breath, brother! Whether you like it or not, with every passing second, the possibility of you taking your _last_ breath, increases!"

His body cringed as if shocked, as magic and power were leaving it, magnetized by the Queen's own life force and the three key relics, yet the man managed to smile maliciously and shout in a powerful voice:

"You may not understand it now, but your words do give me hope, Elyon! Because I'm sure that what you're ready to do for your descendant, you'll be willing to do for mine too! Even if you chose to deprive him or her of their father now, you'll never deny their right to the throne."

"What?! What are you talking about?"- Elyon exclaimed faintly, as her magic flickered in distress, in unison with the shock upon the statement she had just heard.

Phobos coughed, falling down to his knees. The magnetizing strings that attached him to his sister, were loosening up, but he was already quite fragile. He blinked his eyes a few times, before stopping them on the Queen's aghast facial expression. _A priceless expression..._

"That's right, little sister. Leonida and I were planning to announce the good news on your actual wedding day, but given the circumstances, I decided I might as well reveal them before I lose my chance to do it personally. Congratulations, Elyon. You're going to be an _aunt_. And your niece or nephew will automatically be next in line for _your throne_."

* * *

**_Trivia: 'Winona' is the name I chose for Weira's grandmother. If you remeber well, in the "Stone/ Star of Threbe" episode, Yan Lin tells the girls about how the ancient Mage created the mystical star that neutralized their powers, for Weira's parents to be able to retrieve her unharmed after she got lost as a child. In the flashback, the parents were seen as ordinary people, not as Queen and consort, which comes to show that Weira's mother was never on the throne. Now while that was never really explained, I chose to interpret it this way- Weira's mother renounced the crown because she fell in love with a low-class peasant man, who her mother (Winona) and the kingdom could never accept as royal consort. Weira's mother lived her life the way she wanted to, but agreed on Winona's death wish before the old Queen passed away of advanced age. Thus her granddaughter Weira became Queen of Meridian._**

_A/N: Stay safe everyone! looking forward to hearing from you. If you haven't yet, definitely go check my latest W.I.T.C.H one-shots. Sending u all lots of light and love. _


	20. The Fruit of Sin Part Two

**_Chapter 20: The Fruit of Sin Two_**

_"I say go away, thinking of you to stay,_  
_your touch and your kiss - the only two things that I miss._  
_I'm like a clock that runs late- a little tactless and at the wrong place,  
late as after you do go, I'm no longer at peace."_

* * *

Even when Andan was ready to retreat and obey Leonida's orders, luck wasn't ready to smile at Leonida. As she watched her brother lower his blade and lower his head in front of her, powerless and unable to keep fighting with her, due to her threats for Magana, the ex-princess kept thinking of what was going on with Phobos behind the magic whirl.

"I don't care if you have to jump through that, Andan. You've got to stop your fiancée from obliterating Phobos!"- she exhorted tensely. "Do it now, or we'll be _orphaned_."

"You're an appalling person!"- Andan turned to bark at her. "She's your mother too!"

"I don't have time to explain to you just how miserable that woman who happens to have given birth to me, has made my life be!"- Leonida hissed back. "If I'm appalling, then I don't have a word strong enough to characterize her!"

"Save your lies and deceits for someone who cares."- her brother replied dryly. He was standing before the energy-wreathed altar by now. "But on second thought, any such person will cease to exist after today. After that man inside receives the fate he deserves, you'll be all alone again. Alone and unloved, because of all your blackness!"

"What?!"- the ex-princess howled, grabbing hold of her brother's arm tightly. She immediately felt the curse starting to attaint her entire body, but she fought it. She had to intimidate Andan without turning into a darn cuckoo! He was her last hope to have things her way. "No! Did you not listen when I said Magana dies if Elyon harms Phobos? Are you willing to sacrifice your mother for the sake of Elyon's agenda?"

"To my pity, mother's fate is in your hands. And I can't dream to demand for Meridian to take that in mind. Not when they're finally having the chance to get rid of a tyrant that they have old scores to settle with. Not when Elyon and her kingdom are already doing me and Coronia a grand favor."

"A grand favor."- Leonida repeated, up in arms. She grabbed ahold of her brother's collar and shook him with all her might, which, due to the curse, wasn't that stark, to begin with. "You're a piece of scum, you coward! By giving our rich land to Elyon to rule over, you're the ones doing them the favor! Do you realize how foolish her great Majesty's decision was?! To have some unknown girl from another realm rule over what's rightfully mine, just because she didn't think I'd be a good enough Queen?!"

Andan glowered and grabbed her hands, pushing them off himself. Leonida almost lost balance completely as she shuddered back due to his sharp push.

"Coronia is not rightfully yours, Leonida. It used to be, but not anymore. Coronia is a land meant for wisdom, beauty and glamour to thrive."- he said flatly. "Elyon exudes all that and can be in charge of it. Unlike you. You're just a crazed, pea-brained milksop, who happens to have turned into a homicidal, power-hungry scalawag as well!"

That had been the last straw. Infuriated by her brother's learned by rote words, hollow words he had heard from her mother, she blasted him back. When Andan landed on the ground, she couldn't repress her curse anymore. Much to the man's disgust, she cuckooed sharply, shuddering in a gust of feathers.

"So now it starts to work..."

"There they are!"-someone yelled from afar.

"Get_ her_!"

At least a hundred men straddling hoogongs, and with weapons, led by Julian, stormed in, surrounding the altar and the two Coronians in minutes.

"And just where do you think you're going?"- Leonida found herself blocked by Will at the front and Cornelia at the back.

"It's over, _Freakonida_, your prince is being executed as we speak and you're outnumbered, you can't escape, nor fight us all."- the Earth guardian stated coldly, as she pierced the other blonde with a triumphant glance. Cornelia had always disliked her. Now that tables had turned this way, she was thrilled to be able to put the insane princess in her place, once and for all.

"That's right, so you better surrender if you know what's best for you."- Will added. "You and Phobos had your fun, tormenting many people over the last few months, but this time you're toast. You can't even teletransport from here. And although we're aware of the extremes you're willing to reach in order to achieve success, I suggest you give up without a fight this time. You'll be squashed like a bug, anyway."

" 'Extreme' is one word to describe it with. I mean come on, you left your own child behind, you killed your father and faked being dead. Not to mention you tried ruining my best friend's kingdom and wedding. You're done messed up, screwball!"

Leonida glared back at Cornelia, who wasn't about to relent. She was just as obnoxious as she had been nine years ago. But these fools had no idea of what they were talking about, however, she had to admit they had lured her into a trap. But just because her chances were lowered to the minimum, didn't mean she was ready to give up entirely...No, Leonida was just going to change the tactic and she already had an idea of how to proceed...

"My, my. If it isn't the infamous enchantress, everyone feared."- the third voice that interfered, caught Leonida's attention. She narrowed her indigo eyes when she saw the tall raven-haired woman approach. She knew this plan was hers. Nerissa sure was a devious player, but even she wasn't going to be in position to resist the ex-princess' next move... If Phobos listened to her, of course. "You've been tampering with my nerve system for quite some time now, Leonida. You costed me an _irksome_ amount of time spent in distress, I confess. But now that you're in my hands, I plan on taking a little revenge, if you don't mind."

Will's eyes widened when Nerissa planted a slashing slap on the honey blonde's left side, making her head turn. Even Cornelia gawked at the sight of what had just happened.

Shagon, who was hovering above the rebels, barely managed to contain a wolf whistle.

Leonida bared her teeth in ruinous hatred, as she faced her assailant once again.

"I do understand that failing so close to the finish line must be devastating. But you better suck it up."- Nerissa went on mockingly. "The more you try to deny your defeat, the more its bitter taste will _poison_ your chest with the thick, black smoke of utter dissatisfaction. You and Phobos are very much alike, your agendas are shallow and meaningless, deprived of any bigger ideal. That is why you'll never succeed with me as an opponent. _Never_."

Leonida kept her lips sealed, as she calculated the possibilities. Fighting in this condition was out of the question. They were superior to her as it was, from each and every side. And as Drake came closer to her, to tie her hands with mystical magic-blocking chains, she turned around to look daggers at her brother once more.

"_I hope you're ready for a life in which you'll be an orphan_."- she mouthed and then snickered.

Andan still appeared to be dismayed, as he finally stood from the ground and watched his sister's arrest. The other men that surrounded the scene were trained and didn't move from their positions, but Andan couldn't help and wonder as to why Leonida was giving up without a fight. Knowing her, he was sure that something was up. Something sinister. Nerissa apparently thought the same, because she suddenly stopped Drake from taking Leonida away:

"Wait a minute. I'm not finished with her yet."- and she approached the younger woman over again, with an ominous tranquility painted on her smooth face. A fake tranquility that threatened to crumble any minute now, as Leonida tested her patience with an impudent look in response.

"You must understand something, _Leonida_."- Nerissa emphasized on her name, icily, as if she was pronouncing the name of a disease. "This is your first and last arrest here, on the territory of Meridian. You've made transgressions and broken the laws and you will face a trial, just because her Majesty said so. But if you ever, by any odds, attempt to attack this realm again, you will- "

"Face much more serious consequences."- Will finished instead of her. "If you, however, chose to open your eyes and assist the good guys instead of Phobos, you might-"

"Will."- Leonida interrupted the redhead with a devilish smirk, which Will didn't like one bit. It was not the look a criminal gives you when arrested.

Unless, of course, she was _totally insane_, the redhead thought grimly. Just like the other girls had said and they had a right; none of Leonida's actions over the last years were sane. Yes, back when they had been teenagers, she was under an evil creature's magical influence, but this time...Could have she gone completely bonkers now?

"I'm not going to betray the man I love, I'm sorry if I disappoint you. But I'm sure you've heard the old saying 'In love and in war there are no rules.' "

"Whatever he has promised you, you can forget about it. Don't you understand, Leonida?"- Cornelia interfered with irritation in her voice. She had never liked the dethroned princess, but now she was resenting her big time. "Phobos might already be dead! When that ritual Elyon's performing with him ends, he won't be there for you anymore. Don't you want to think of yourself and redemption? You have a son for God's sakes!"

For a minute, a shadow of some strange, unidentifiable emotion passed over Leonida's face, but she was quick to hide it with another wide smile.

"Then I'll be his humble widow in your dungeons. And may higher forces decide, who has committed the worst thing, among us present. I love my King and I will not betray him."

Everyone's eyes were on her, but she didn't seem bothered. Leonida exuded a sinister composure.

"Wow, you really fall for the worst guys. Each time you outdo yourself."- Cornelia hissed scornfully.

Leonida shrugged her shoulders with fake innocence. She had managed to compile an emergency plan in her head and she wasn't about to expose it and herself by giving in to such provocations.

"No, you mustn't believe her! This act of surrender is some kind of farce!"- Andan cried. "She is plotting something, I assure you."

_Zip it, you moronic squib_, his sister cursed him in her mind. _You will pay for everything. I promise you that_.

"I'm sure she is."- Will sighed grimly, trying to read the ex-princess's expression. "But whatever it is, hopefully, no magic in a cell with heavy security will wipe it away."

"Ghost of a chance."- Cornelia murmured with a frown, as she watched Drake and Aldarn take hold of Leonida in order to take her to the dungeons.

It appeared that it was all finally going to come to an end. The entire Phobos and his crazy mistress drama. The blonde took a look over her shoulder, where the altar was still surrounded by a strong swirling barrier or energy.

They were all so positive that things have worked out. Will was getting herself ready to later congratulate her progenitress on a well-done plan. Even if, in the usual vile tone and style, most of Nerissa's plans carried through in. The former rebels left their positions, straddling their hoogongs, heading back to their base and the Palace. For a long moment everyone was certain that, yes, the final outcome appeared to be positive and favorable. That was, of course, because the grand finale was yet to come...

"Nerissa! Will! Stop there."- as the energy whirlwind died down, Elyon left the altar behind herself. And as, in front of everyone's flabbergasted gazes, the Queen held her brother for support, Will felt the sudden urge to slap her. Even though she didn't know yet, what exactly loony reason, Elyon had to be doing what she was doing, the keeper of the Heart just knew that her anger will be justified. Because _nothing_ justified this. Or so she thought...

"Elyon?!"- Cornelia exclaimed, not less shocked than everyone else. "What is...why is he still walking on his own?!"- but before she could glare at the weak Phobos, her friend shook her head, showing her that the details could be discussed later.

"Aldarn, Drake. Release her."- Elyon said to everyone's shock, nodding at Leonida.

"Elyon..."- Andan gasped, blinking in aghast.

"And come take care of Phobos."- Elyon went on, ignoring the man. "We...we'll have to take them to the Palace and then have an emergency consultation. Don't look at me like that; I'll explain. But first we have to get back to the Palace. Come on, people. Let's not waste time. Let Leonida g-"

"_No_!"- Nerissa hissed and blocked Drake and Aldarn before they could walk past her, grabbing hold of Leonida in the meantime. Her iron grip tightened around the chains as she pulled the enchantress back, harshly. "Get whatever moronic idea you've just had, out of that big, stupid _gourd_ on your _hunched_, _lanky shoulders_. And begone!"

Elyon exhaled deeply. She had seen this coming. If she had been shocked to hear Phobos's confession, then what could she except from Nerissa?

"Nerissa, you don't understand- "

"I don't care! That's what _you_ should understand! I don't care what or why made you change your mind. God damn it, I don't care for what reason you can't seem to dispose of that monster that you're related to! Again!"- she fired utterance after utterance, giving no one chance to talk to her. Then she glared at Phobos.

Nerissa was furious. She could see her plan coming to a dead end and the success slipping away, and she hated the visualization. Her hostile and rude attitude, amused Leonida as she watched the wrangle, even though worry didn't leave her as she asked herself what exactly had happened that Elyon had changed her mind... Could have...Could have Phobos done everything as supposed to?!

"This delinquent is mine for the picking, and I'm not going to let go of her until I see her imprisoned and convicted, got that Queenlet?"- she spat. "I never should have asked you to be a part of my plan in the first place! You're not going to be you, if you do not stay true to yourself, flubbing everything as usual!"

"Fine, you can blame me if that'll make you feel better. But things are beyond my control this time."- Elyon sighed in defeat.

"Elyon this is ridiculous!"- Cornelia huffed. "You're not thinking of letting Phobos bail again, are you? We have to do something while we still can, not waste the opportunity and the chance again!"

"All your questions will be answered and all will happen in its time."- Elyon clenched her teeth. She was beginning to lose patience. "But right now, we need to go to the Palace! And I said let go off Leonida, Nerissa, I don't want you hurting her."

The bedazzled expressions her friends gave her, weren't making her task any easier. The straw-blonde sighed again as Nerissa's utter shock turned into rage once more:

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, YOU STUPID IGNORAMUS?! YOU-"

"Elyon, what the hell? "- Will exclaimed angrily, as she struggled to stop Nerissa from clawing the ruler's face. She herself was pissed with Elyon as it was. What the hell had gotten into her this time? "I really don't get it, why would you say that?!"

"I said it for the sake of Leonida's baby!"- Elyon yelled back. Will's mouth hung open: "Yes, Will. Leonida is expecting Phobos's child!"

* * *

The days after Elyon's staged wedding went by fast, unlike the initial shock that had followed the revelations made that same afternoon. With Christmas Eve at the doorstep, everything and everyone in Heatherfield was absorbed by hasty preparations and holiday spirit. The city was decked with lights and decorations, hung on every possible corner. The snow kept showering from above, lightly, maintaining a decent snow cover and bearable winter temperatures.

Tom Lair parked the police automobile in front of his garage after a long day at work. Being a senior police inspector had its perks, but it was definitely hell of tiring lately. And with him past his mid-40s, being tired was less pleasant than ever. Especially because he had a home and a wife to return to into the evening.

Tom just thanked God that their kids were mature enough already because if it wasn't for that, given the pace of his work and all the stress, he wouldn't have been able to survive it all without losing his mind.

"I'm home, honey."- he made his return known, once inside the warm house. "And I'm starving!"

Anna Banister- Lair made a face. Her husband didn't need to tell her that- she could hear his stomach growling from inside the living room where she was just finishing decorating the family Christmas tree.

"The lasagna is in the oven, Tom! Get yourself a plateful and come here."- she yelled back.

"You're letting me eat in the living room?"- Tom couldn't believe his luck. "After we bought new furniture?!"

And so he hurried to sit down on the couch with a big porting of lasagna and a can of beer before his wife could change her mind.

"Only because I need to talk to you and I am still decorating here."- Anna rolled her eyes.

"_W'hat is'h it honey_?"- the man asked with a full mouth as he attempted to turn the TV on.

But Anna took the remote from his hands before he could do it:

"Hey, what did I say, Tom? We have to talk about something."- she tossed her hair back, vexed.

"Alright, then I ask you again. What is it?"

Anna pursed her lips. She wasn't the type of housewife to make a fuss about every little thing. She respected her husband, his profession and hard work, and after many years of marriage, almost nothing could make her criticize Tom for his choices. He was a professional and he was doing all in his power to support their family and maintain a decent lifestyle- he had even supported her when she had decided to try out for her role in a local TV show. The point was, that they were both good at doing what they did. But the letter which she held out, presenting to the policeman now, was one of these few things that could make her put his decisions under question.

"What's this, Tom? When were you going to tell me?"

Her husband's eyes ran over the paper, quickly, confirming his fears. He sighed and left the dinner aside:

"Anna, I found out about this yesterday. I don't know why they sent another letter here...I was going to talk to you about it after the holidays-"

"You declined, right?"- Anna demanded with her hands on her hips. "You turned it down?"

Tom looked down, making her realize that he hadn't. Her eyes went wide with anger and hurt:

"Tom!"- she yelled. "How can you be considering this? You can't accept a _transfer_ and you know it! Our entire life is in Heatherfield! Our kids, our friends... How can you not care about all this?"

"Honey, I do care."- Tom stood up. "And trust me, I wasn't thrilled about this either, but if you read it carefully, you'll see that the transfer isn't optional. If I turn it down, I'll lose my job and the insurance that comes with it. And if that happens, how are we going to pay for Chris's college expenses. The mortgages of the two houses we bought for the kids?"

Anna groaned and threw her arms up in outrage and despair, going around the living room.

"I can't believe this! You've been in the police for over 25 years and they still misbehave with you as if you're nobody! How is this democracy, I ask! Darn corrupted bastards!"

Tom sighed and sat back on the couch. He had known the temper he was marrying when marrying a Latina like his wife, but he couldn't deny that she had a right. He didn't like the newly arisen situation himself, but he didn't have the luxury of choice.

"At least it's temporary. It's only for four months. I'll be back before our anniversary. "

"No, Thomas, that's not an option, and you can forget all about it."- the woman contended. "We...we can look for alternatives. Hey, Irma makes good for herself now, I'm sure she won't mind giving up on that house... She can also help if we are to, God forbid, face any financial problems- "

"I will not accept money from our daughter, Anna! What the hell are you thinking?"- the man exclaimed. "We'll push through this. I'll be back before you know it."

"Maybe I could get you a part on the show."- Anna went on, ignoring her husband's statement.

Hers made him laugh. Not only because her role had long turned into a supporting one:

"Yeah, because the production is looking for a plump, hair-losing man in his late 40s to cast in their daily soap."

"What are you talking about, you're hot!"- she objected fiercely. "I'm sure that once I talk to the..."

"Anna."- Tom interrupted her softly, taking her hand in his. "Anna, I know that this worries you, but the transfer won't be permanent. I'm needed to replace a colleague on a big case, I'll make big money! Look at it from the positive sides. This is an opportunity, not just a consequence of corruption."

Anna sighed and tossed her chestnut curls back. She kneeled before the sofa and rested her elbows in her husband's lap with a brooding expression.

"I know, Tom. I get where you're coming from. The kids are now mature enough and we have to look for opportunities like this one. But you're going to leave me all alone for so many weeks...Chris hardly ever comes home anymore; Irma lives with Martin. I'll be all alone in this house."

"Well...You're always welcome to come with me, you know."- Tom said, caressing the top of her head.

Anna wrinkled her nose:

"Can't. I've signed a one-year contract with the production. I can't leave Heatherfield for more than a week till August."

"Really?"-her husband sounded surprised. "For your role? See, I know nothing about this showbiz thing. I thought that only the main-leads have such obligations."

"I _was_ the main-lead."- Anna reminded him sourly. "Before they decided that Wife Undercover should have her daughter take over her legacy... Giving way to mature women my ass! Fuck the producers! I should've asked Irma to audition for that part."

Tom grinned and pulled her on the couch next to him, where she curled up into a ball and snuggled in his chest.

"Anyway, I knew you wouldn't want to come. We'll just facetime each other, possibly meet for a weekend getaway. You'll see that four months will pass quick as that."

* * *

"This is absolutely moronic. The Oracle and the Queen are out of their minds!"- Caleb ranted, walking around the master bedroom of his and his girlfriend's family home, only in his boxers. "How can they take a decision like that? These two villains deserve _cages_, not luxury! And that child of theirs will never be any better than its deranged parents!"

Cornelia wasn't paying attention to what he was saying. Firstly, because in the past few days, she had already heard more than enough on this topic; and secondly, because she was too busy studying the upcoming spring trends.

Hearing her boyfriend's growning and stomping on the floor, however, she saw herself obliged to set the magazine aside. She took a moment to admire his dashing body displayed in front of her and then suddenly had an idea of how to deal with his nervousness.

"And you know what, I don't believe that child was conceived with love."- Caleb went on, allowing her to pull him into a sitting position on the bed. "That tyrant's seed can never create anything different than him, but the fact that that crazy woman is carrying it in herself makes it even worse. All this is a part of their agenda, some evil plan that they have compiled! How can the Oracle allow them to go through with it?! Cornelia, _are you listening_?"

Caleb turned his head as much as his neck could take. Behind himself, he could feel the blonde tracing figures with her palms against his bare skin. Her fingers gently, yet playfully, rubbed his tense shoulders. Then they went for his nipples. Caleb blinked as her long blonde locks fell over his chest like a waterfall of gold.

"What are you doing? I'm foaming at the mouth because of Phobos and his dirty schemes! I need to discuss this; I need to build a strategy for when he turns and bites the hand Elyon offered him!"

"No, you just need to vent."- Cornelia argued, irritated by his reaction to her seductive approach. "And forget all about Phobos for a while."

"Stop it, OK."- he growled, as Cornelia nibbled on his ear. But he didn't actually want her to stop and she knew it. Caleb let out a muffled groan and lied on his back. "I'm tryna...tryna think."

"Quit thinking."- Cornelia replied in a sultry voice. "All you need is a little time with your beautiful guardian and a chance to release the stress. And I need you. Everything will be alright. Now I need you...I need you for myself."

Though he was a mighty warrior, Caleb was first and foremost, a man. And hence, the touches and caresses his fiancée gifted him with quickly made him indulge in his own passion.

He rolled over so that she was under him as they kept kissing. At that point, it was practically making out. Flickering an eye open just for a second, enough to make sure that Killian was sleeping heavily in his crib in the bottom of the room, Cornelia ran her fingers through the man's dark brown hair and moaned:

"Come on, big boy. Give it to me-"

With another growl, Caleb was ready to oblige. He loved it when she talked like that. It was one of these Earth girl- trademarks she used that had pleasantly astounded him from the very beginning. Darn it, she was capable of arousing him anytime she wanted with almost anything she did or said, he was crazy about her. But that night, a little part of his brain remained occupied with the wrong of subject-matters. Just before he could pull his boxers down, the words, willing to come out of his mouth, broke their kiss:

"That has to be it! What if Phobos wants to use that baby to come to power again?"

_"Caleb!"_

Outraged, Cornelia pushed him off herself and demonstratively moved to her side of the bed. Aware of his blunder, even if not ready to abandon the topic that bugged him, Caleb sighed and rested his elbows on the mattress:

"Sorry."- he said in his sweetest voice. "But you know how much Meridian's welfare means to me, Corn-"

"You're seriously going overboard with this."- the blonde snapped and looked at him bolshy. "I know, I get how worried you are about your homeland being in danger with Phobos and Leonida there! I don't like that they got to be there, myself, Caleb, but arguing with Elyon or the Oracle about it, is just a loss of time. As is this conversation! They won't change their mind."

"What does that mean, that we should just sit around and do nothing?"- Caleb didn't give up. "I can't accept that this is final or normal!"

"Yes, you never could."- the woman remarked bitterly.

She stood up and pulled her nightgown down, fixing it back to a normal state, after it had got rugose during their prematurely canceled lovemaking. Then she sat in front of her vanity and started brushing her long hair with puckered lips like she always did when pissed off.

"What?"- Caleb was up on his feet looking at her with a frown. Now it was his turn to be angry.

Cornelia eyed his reflection in the mirror, estimating the levels of his irritation before replying:

"I know, Caleb. You're a patriot. I've always known it, so what would the point be for us to have yet another fight about Meridian's actual importance, after so many years? None. There would be no point in that at all."

"Meridian's actual importance?"- Caleb repeated, his anger growing. "What are you trying to say, Cornelia? Don't stall. Admit that you still hate it when I show my love for my homeland, in spite of all these years you speak of-"

"Yes, I do! I hate it!"- Cornelia jumped to her feet, respondent to the provocations.

Her boyfriend's angry green orbits examined her incredulously, but that didn't stop her. Cornelia grabbed their sleeping son from his crib and pushed him in his father's arms.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

"Showing you. Showing you one big reason for me to hate it when you put Meridian first!"- Cornelia said icily.

Caleb looked down at the sleeping baby and then back at its mother, with a displeased scowl. But that only fueled the woman's outburst of anger:

"Because."- she narrated seriously. "I could forgive you for putting Meridian first, back when we were teenagers. I could forgive you for choosing to stand loyal to your duty to your Queen, because, history's our witness, I also committed mistakes and I don't run from that. See, I could even live with the fact that I'm constantly going to compete with Meridian for the first place in your heart, up until 4 months ago. But 4 months ago, when this little being came out of me, I lost the gift of tolerance I had for your patriotism, Caleb! I don't judge you for it, I've been wrong many times, myself, OK? And sure, I have many flaws too. We've discussed our flaws and faults many times and we've chosen to move on in spite of them. That's why I'm telling you all this now. You must know that I now expect you to _never_ put me and our son second again. I demand that. And you better respect my expectations."

Caleb looked back at her protractedly, before lowering his glance and hurling past her. He placed the sleeping baby back in its crib, then proceeded to step back into a pair of black jeans, he had tossed on the floor earlier that evening.

And as she watched him put on a shirt and a pair of boots in silence, Cornelia cursed her pride. She knew he was mad, but she could've still calmed him down, if only she changed her tone. That would've been enough for him. She knew it, but she didn't do it. She watched the man she loved flee into the night, angry and perhaps even angrier with himself, than he was with her, without even slamming the door behind himself.

Of course, he wouldn't do that; he didn't want to wake up Killian. She, on the other hand, would've done it without even thinking twice. Whenever she was the one to be upset or angry, Cornelia always made a scene. It wasn't something she did on purpose. It was just another one of her flaws.

She closed her eyes and sighed. Perhaps her fiancé did need to vent on his own. Perhaps she hadn't estimated the levels of his anger precisely. When he was to come back to her, she'd find a way to make it up to her love for hectoring him yet again.

What Cornelia didn't know, however, was that this time, her usual methods of pleasing Caleb, physically, or with her sincere and warm feelings, would have a harder time coming off.

In the corridor outside, Nerissa hid behind the open door of the guest bathroom when her son hurled out of his room, on the door of which she had been eavesdropping. She had heard the young couple yell from the bathroom and had come to listen more closely.

Once she heard the entrance door on the lower floor close, indicating her that Caleb was out of the house, Nerissa came back into light with a pensive wrinkle on her otherwise perfectly smooth forehead.

She knew that she had to interfere in the situation before her son and his wife-to-be were experiencing large differences and reefs of problems between each other.

Of course, the right way to do that was debatable; Nerissa didn't appreciate a plan not executed to perfection, and she had already had one such on Meridian, a few days back when Phobos had dropped the bomb of Leonida's pregnancy.

Nerissa frowned at the thought of that. She knew that this was what was tormenting her son, as well; even a fool could guess that Phobos's child was conceived with the one and only goal to open a new way to power for its scum parents. As expected, Himerish and Elyon, being the detestable humanitarians they were, had taken the most _incompetent_ of all decisions.

But the ex-guardian wasn't as dismayed by it anymore. She had made amends with her failed plan; miscalculating was tolerable, failing was not.

Oh, and she didn't intend to fail. Despite the newly arisen circumstances, the war was far from over and victory was for the creative. That gave Nerissa confidence, for she knew she was light years ahead of these wretches when it came to inventiveness.

* * *

_And thus the sinners were saved by the fruit of their sin, which would continue to ripen. And the war-cries of the rebels fell silent, their heads lowered and enraged at the inevitability and the harsh reality. But the royal tyrants were not to be happy and triumphant. Having had the chance to keep their heads on after the end of the Noble Hunt did not mean that their crowns would be returned on as easily. New times are coming. Times of new forces, battles, adversaries and truths. __And the shadow of the Dark Descendant is weighing more and more on the horizons, like a black cloud of a cosmic storm that threatens to destroy everything behind itself..._

**_End of Arc. 2_**


	21. Betrayal and Fidelity

**ARC. 3**

_"AFTERMATH OF THE HEART"  
_

_"Evil creeps even through the most solid bars. The quiet river is the most dangerous one, and having a wise enemy is far better than having a stupid friend ... All these sayings come to show something during the new times. __A man, back from the grave, returns to envenom life in Heatherfield, inflicting devastating damage on many souls. The rejected rulers are imprisoned as the noble hunt has ended, but has Kandrakar made the best decision? Even behind the walls of her prison, the golden princess does not seem to stop weaving a dangerous web of lies and secrets that the guardians struggle to untangle. Old wounds burn. New twists and turns emerge, and all who are no saints bear their crosses... Is there still light for the heart that has waited for the last sunset?"_

* * *

**Chapter 21: Betrayal and Fidelity  
**

**_"_**_It's funny how the one person you'd take a bullet for...Tends to always be the one behind the gun."_

* * *

**_Meridian..._**

Cedric had never felt more torn in his entire life. On one side, there was his obligation and the vow he had given Phobos, to loyally stand by him and never betray him again, and on the other was Mancy; the little girl that was now sleeping in the bottom of the damp cave. She represented another liability of his, something which he had never thought would happen in his life. But it was a fact- he and Miranda were now sharing this responsibility and were handling it poorly.

"You must forget about the darned prince if you want the best for us!"- Miranda attacked him again, just like she did since the crack of the new dawn. "You can't continue to recklessly risk our lives and chances to crawl out of the dumps!"

Cedric sighed gravely and sat by the booming fire. The cave they had managed wasn't anything special, but at least it could contain some heat. Yet he knew- it was a dump. Just another one of those dumps Miranda was speaking off, and it wouldn't serve them as home much longer. She didn't want that. She wanted power and vengeance; he was beginning to doubt the chances of that ever happening.

"Would you stop badgering me?"- he hissed. "I had found Mancy a place to stay, had I not? If I didn't care why would I bother with that?"

"Yes, as a spy in the Palace."- Miranda sneered bitterly. "An awfully insecure place which she lost because of that dumb vow you gave to Phobos. You call that caring?"

Miranda was unabating as usual. Once she had her teeth in something, letting it go was impossible. After ten years, she had finally abandoned the form of a teenage girl she had been so fond of for many reasons. She now stood in the cave, looking like a young woman in her 20s, frocked in old tatters and her messy jet-black hair, reaching to her shoulders, framing her pretty features in perfect contrast with her freckles. However, instead of the mischievousness, which usually danced in her remarkable eyes, there was now only sure-footed anger.

"What other choice did I have."- Cedric closed his eyes tiredly. He was tired of everything. His evil intentions and past, the dying good in his heart and all the trouble he was going through again. "The Prince is contumelious and unpardonably evil. But he has done so much for me in the past... Betraying him another time wasn't going to help either of us. But by being in coalition with that bimbo he is tying the rope around his own neck."

"Maybe you should stop living in the past and focus on the present."- Miranda hissed, indifferent to his words and inner pangs. "Because if you keep choosing to be Phobos's favorite pet, I'll take Mancy and leave this wretched realm."

"Don't talk nonsense."- the Lord hissed back, towering above the woman. "You can't, either way. The veil is all around Meridian and finding a portal is more difficult than you think."

"Hey, I was able to make the royal guards take me for a corpse and throw me out of the dungeons, remember?"- she rocked a catty smile that enraged him. "Don't underestimate me. If I want to escape Meridian then I will. And I won't be waiting for you any longer."

"Miranda you are unbearable. I asked you to have more patience; Phobos's current situation might unfold to be in your favor...He and Leonida are now under royal watch, their plan to unite dimensions and rule over them is terribly hindered. All that will help me be free of my liability to serve the Prince without overstepping my word-"

"Oh, overstep it already, who cares about your mother. She's dead!"

"I do!"- Cedric clenched his teeth, approaching Miranda in a dangerous manner. His serpent-like pupils glistened with fury. "My mother was everything to me and the only person to ever love me unconditionally, I won't allow the memory of her to be tarnished!"- he stopped for a minute and observed the effect his outburst had caused.

Miranda was looking back at him with growing resentment, but her mouth was shut- she had obviously gotten the message.

_Good_, Cedric thought. _The more time I win, the better. If I can postpone dealing with the situation long enough, maybe everything will get solved on its own..._

But it was not the ridiculously low likelihood of that thought that kept him on thorns. It was the knowledge that Miranda and her outrush couldn't be stopped for long. Soon, she would take things in her hands, despite his warnings and harsh tone, and he knew it. Maybe it was about to happen sooner than he supposed.

"What's this?"- he cocked an eyebrow at the object which the other shifter took from one of the sacks that they had in the cave- holding all the possessions they had managed to keep in the life of outlaws. The object that Miranda was presenting to him was an antique looking box- not bigger than a book.

"All that you'll need for your new job."- Miranda said with an odd spark in her eye.

"Job? What job?"- the blond man didn't understand.

"You vowed to be loyal to your Prince."- Miranda shrugged, faking indifference. "You might as well at least _try_ to benefit from that. Without breaking the given word, of course."

"I don't quite get it- "

"You'll return to Phobos's side. You'll stay with him and will help him with his lunatic plans, regardless of the imbecile situation he and Leonida got themselves into by falling for Nerissa's trap."- the woman went on, ignoring Cedric's shocked expression. "To do that, you'll have to surrender to Elyon, but don't worry; it will be a staged surrender-"

"What?! You want me to take such a risk?"- the man narrowed his eyes. "But why? I thought Phobos was just a problem in front of our future- "

"And that he is. But some problems are masked opportunities."- Miranda smiled wickedly, her eyes wandering into the non-existent distance. "And of course, you're not going to give up just because of Phobos. No, he's not that special. You'll help him and you will stay true to the vow, you so foolishly gave him. But this time. This time you will ask for something _in return_."

* * *

Christmas was the most wonderful time of the year, but this particular year, a certain young redhead was doubting that old saying more than she could ever remember before.

Will huffed in annoyance and total exhaustion as she managed to steal a few minutes of peace and quiet, on the terrace, away from Linda Olsen's bustling Christmas gathering. The cold air outside did feel soothingly after hours of stress.

Sure, at first, she had thought that it's nice of Matt's mom to include so many of their friends and close ones to her annual celebration on the 25th. At first it had appeared like the most wholesome idea and everyone were happy, but then, the true essence of the party had showed itself and Will wasn't liking it one bit.

Amid the fact that Susan had refused to come along, offended by the fact that her daughter has declined her invitation for annual Christmas lunch (despite Will trying to explain that Mrs. Olsen had been first to invite them), the other guests' annoying question regarding her relationship with Matt and Matt's obnoxious cousin, Sean, Will was simply unable to find herself a place. On top of that, there was a strange tension between Cornelia and Caleb, which Cornelia was unceremoniously passing to the others, and Nerissa was practically trying to steal the attention from the poor hostess. Other than that, the rest of her friends and the less-demanding guests were doing fine, one could even say that they were having a good time. No, the party wasn't really an unbearable failure, not at all, Will realized.

The problem was in her. She wasn't feeling too well, she was tense and tired and she was letting all that project on the background of a decent social gathering. _Yes, I guess it's my fault_, the guardian thought. _Just because I'm under the weather and don't wanna be here, doesn't mean that the same applies for the others._

"There you are, Wilhelmina!"- Will jumped in her place at the loud sound of a familiar, but unexpected in that certain moment, voice. "What are you doing here, smoking? Tsk, tsk, tsk. What a baad girl. Not when there are parents downstairs! Or at least not without me."- Irma winked at her amicably, snuggling in her fur coat which she had thrown over her shoulders.

"Irma, I almost fell over the handrail thanks to you."- Will gave her friend a dirty look. "You know I hate it when you sneak up on me like that."

"Alright, I'm sorry, geez!"- Irma exclaimed. "You're cranky. On Christmas. Why's that? What's the matter?"

"Nothing."- the redhead mumbled, staring into the snowy distance of the suburbs that surrounded the Olsen house.

"Girl. Don't give me that crap."- Irma's wayward tone made her sigh. Of course, she wouldn't be satisfied with that kind of answer, who would? But the truth was that Will really didn't know what else to say. 'Nothing' seemed like the perfect summary.

"I know you, Will, we've been friends for so many years."- Irma threw her arm around the other woman's shoulders in a reassuring manner. "That's why I know when you're hiding something, so spit it out already! What's bothering you?"

"I told you, Irma, it's nothing."- Will freed herself of her embrace, shifting to a more distant part of the terrace. "Or at least I think so. I don't know, I'm just having a crappy day, I guess. For some reason, I'm in a terrible mood and everything annoys me- take this stupid slide for example."- and she poked at one of Linda's holiday decorations. "Who invented these tacky decorations, anyway? Santa didn't fly on a drone back when I still believed in him."

"Oh, I get it."- Irma declared in a sly voice. "I know what you're trying to do."

"You do?"- Will turned around a tad surprised. How could someone else get her problem when even she wasn't aware of its true nature?

"Yep."- the Latina said, still very convinced in herself. "You're trying to get out of the situation with humor. Nice try, you can't humor me, my jokes are still a thing in 'Sheffield'', and I graduated forever ago. Now, cut the crap and tell me what's _really_ going on. You had a fight with Matt? You hate your future mother-in-law? Oh, oh!"- and Irma clicked her fingers with a devilish smile on her face. "You argued because of her and he took her side! Did he really? Is Matt a momma's boy? I, at least, didn't think so, but whatever you say..."

"Thanks a lot, Irma."- Will rolled her eyes. For a moment there, she had forgotten that the Water guardian is the queen of joking herself. "You reaaally got it. You nailed it."

"Oh, come on, babe."- Irma forced her to turn around and face her. Above them, it was beginning to snow. "We all have bad days, but just come with me downstairs, back to the others. We'll figure this out; it's Christmas, you shouldn't be so gloomy today! We still have to push it up through dinner with the Hales tonight. If you start falling apart from the afternoon, how are you going to live through Vera's stories from the world of high life? I know how to fix you!"- Irma caught her friend under the arm and led her with herself. "All you need is a cup of eggnog with some extra vodka in it."

Will couldn't help but snicker at that. Her spirits were slightly lifted up.

"Gee, you're so farseeing, Irma."- she noted playfully. "Guess its that psychology course you took during your second college year."

Downstairs, Linda Olsen saw herself forced to take a seat. In all her years of organizing Christmas lunch parties with friends and family from all over the world, she had never felt more un-included in everything.

Nerissa Crossnic was a sensation at her party. A sensation that she had at first found delightful but had later on recognized as a threat. A threat to the recognition of her presence at the party. For Pete's sake, with that woman around, nobody seemed to notice that she, the one that had organized everything and invited them, was even present!

With a lamenting sigh, the aging brunette took a sip from her tea and turned to her sister, who had just approached her to take something from the kitchen island.

"Carolyn?"- Linda waved her hand in front of her sister's face. "Hi, I'm here, you noticed. So, tell me, how do you find the party this year? You think the guests will leave with satisfaction?"

"Oh, hey, Lindy."- Carolyn smiled. "I was wondering where you've gone to. Oh, absolutely, don't worry. In fact, this year's party might be _the best_ you've held in decades! I mean, sure, you've had the occasional entertainment over the years, games and magicians and what-not, but you've never invited anyone quite like Nerissa before! She sings and she dances, and she just entertains everyone! Not to mention she's a bombshell, someone told me she's a mother to a boy near Matt and Sean's age? I mean damn!"

"I know, isn't it incredible."- Linda replied, unable to hide she was peeved by her sister's words. "Plastic surgery is a fascinating thing when done rightly."

Carolyn shook her amused and playfully popped a dot of her cupcake's green icing on her sister's nose.

"Come on, Linda. Don't be such a Grinch on Christmas! Come with me and let's just celebrate!"

* * *

_**A few days later, Meridian...**_

In the chills of the icy mountainside lay the mine base-village of Gray Woods, the largest and richest in stock of mystic ore after the demolished Underwater Mines.

The winter weather of Meridian had the Gray Woods Mines surrounded by frost. Here and there, there were piles of snow. The village itself was small, but practical- it had just enough buildings of every needed shape, size and nature for the miners to live a normal life when not in the mines. Recently, one of the buildings in the village had become a temporary cloister for a certain royal figure under house arrest.

The last day of the calendar year, Nerissa had never imagined she would have to spend like this. Not ever since she was free and sentimental. But then again, she had never imagined she'd be Mage again either.

She set foot on the hoarfrost-covered grass in front of the magically restricted rest house, in the middle of the mine village, and eyed it critically. The dwelling was hardly anything special, but it was _still_ too pleasant to be inhabited by Phobos.

"Good morning, Mage."- Aldarn and his father, who were to live in this village, in order to keep an eye on the so-called prisoners, greeted her solemnly.

Nerissa eyed Aketon a little irritated. He was one of those who'd never accept her without poorly closeted hostile feelings, as it appeared, but she couldn't care less. She was here to do other things.

"Phobos and Leonida have been quiet ever since the guardians last checked on them. He complains about the food, but he'll get over it."- Aldarn reported, not even waiting for a question. He was aware that they were all on the same page- they were to help the Queen rule over Meridian, especially when she was about to take the reins of yet another kingdom too. Their help at that point could be expressed in the execution of Phobos's sentence, he knew, which was why he was somewhat bewildered when the woman said:

"Oh, no, Aldarn. I don't care if they're dead or alive. As a matter of fact, I would have been much more thrilled had you told me that they've _perished_ overnight."- she declared with malice, well powdered with the softness of her tingling, unconventional for such a line, tone. But that was just Nerissa. Those who knew her for a longer time were familiar with her unpredictable style.

"Then what leads you to Gray Woods Mines?"- Aketon asked flatly.

And because Nerissa chose not to answer, for the opportunity to create awkward silence, Aldarn moved his glance from his father to her and intervened:

"We're also unhappy with how Phobos dodged a bullet with this footling sentence, but one day he'll get what he deserves, don't worry."- he said. "This is not final. Sooo...that being said, what's up? How's the holiday season going on Earth, is it over?"

Nerissa smiled and wrapped herself tighter in her pale blue fur mantle. She liked to tease and stall when she felt the need to hide her own anger and the fact she was about to have a fit over what she was forced to endure and do.

"Almost, Aldarn. We'll get to that. We're actually here to drop another prisoner to stay with Phobos."- it was now that father and son noticed their old friend and leader, Julian, approach them from the entrance of the village.

"Another prisoner? To be put in the same place?"- Aketon exclaimed. "Good grief. Makes you think that all the dungeons have come to an end."

Julian shrugged somewhat apologetically. Nerissa curved a spiteful smile. She, for once, shared the old metalsmith's opinion.

"Did the Queen order this?"

"Never mind that, who is that priso..."- but Aldarn needed not finish.

Julian had made it to them, leading the cloaked figure on the way. The wind took the hood off of the shifter's head, revealing his familiar frontal.

"Cedric?!"- the younger galhot exclaimed in utter shock. "Cedric will be staying under house arrest together with Phobos and Leonida? But that's..."

"Bizarre? Moronic? And idea worthy of a pea-sized brain?"- Nerissa helped him. "Well. I couldn't agree more. But then again, how could I ever argue with the _errant_ Light of Meridian and the Basilidian wiseacre. Here's what. If Cedric here starts any trouble, you can kill him. He will, after all, never be involved with the child the Coronian tramp carries, anyway."

Cedric glowered but didn't open his mouth at the provocation. The more he thought of it, the more he realized that the provocation on Nerissa's part was not metaphorical at all.

"But I don't understand..."- Aketon seemed to be at a loss of words. "This decision...to bring the tyrant and his right-hand man together. How did it come about?"

Nerissa and her husband exchanged glances. She just nodded at him as he ran his hand over hers in a placatory manner, proceeding to answer his old friend's question:

"Cedric turned himself in, earlier this week. He informed the Queen of an unbreakable vow he has given Phobos, swearing to be by his side during the war. Because he betrayed him the last time, this time Phobos demanded this oath upon breaking him out of imprisonment during Elyon's engagement. Now that his master is disarmed and put to prison, Cedric felt like not following him would be a violation."- the veteran rebel recounted. "This led to an emergency meeting in Kandrakar where it was decided that, given his surrender and confession, Cedric's request should be complied with."

"But that's highly suspicious!"- Aketon protested. "This might as well be a try to help the tyrant escape here. Why would the damned Lord be willing to surrender himself since he managed to escape at the Queen's staged wedding."

"We do realize, Aketon."- the other man retorted calmly. "But this is the decision we were sent to carry out. As for now, we have to trust the wiser-"

"Wiser my ass."- Aldarn mumbled under his nose. "These people are experimenting with our kingdom's safety...How can the Queen fall for their cruel suggestions..."

His blood was boiling with outrage from what he had just heard. Noticing that his father and Julian are engaged in a talk, his eyes moved to Nerissa who stood by blankly with an ice, pensive expression.

"Mage."- he whispered as he approached her. Ironically, someone who he had feared, now looked like the only possible lifeline to him. "You can object to this and you should. Why are you allowing Cedric to move in with Phobos? It's crazy! Kandrakar are just taking chances with us, aren't they?"

Nerissa slid her eyes over the young man's features and carefully pulled him by the sleeve, a little bit further from her husband and his friend, but just so that their movement wouldn't be noticed.

"Mage, ain't' I right?"- he insisted in a whisper. "I'm sure Caleb doesn't approve of this too. I mean, give us a break, wasn't it enough that Phobos got to live here in this village instead of being thrown in the deepest of dungeons? All I'm saying is that I hate seeing all that we've fought for, a free Meridian and rights for everyone, mocked by someone's decision to reprieve the most despotic man these lands have ever seen. Correct me if I'm wrong."

"You aren't wrong, Aldarn."- the ex-guardian narrated under her breath. "I don't want to comment this when I know that they're watching. Trust me, I'm as enraged by the situation as you are, if not even more. But patience."- her green eyes shone dangerously. "Just because the snake dances to the piper's music, doesn't mean that it'll dance to his tune, also."

Somewhere far from there, in the ideal center of Infinity, beyond space and time, this very scene was being projected for a selected audience.

"She hates me more than ever before. And I can't blame her this time."- Elyon stated despondently once the waters of the all-seeing fountains washed Nerissa's image away. "If my decisions didn't please my people before, then by now they surely piss off everyone. Even Aldarn and his dad...I'm a poor ruler, aren't I, Oracle? Be honest with me."

"I believe that, as usual, I have the honors of being the main target of Nerissa's hatred."- the Oracle smiled cordially. "As for your kingdom and subjects, when the right time comes, they will recognize your efforts for the best exit out of the critical situation which you have at your hands."

"Let us not forget that you accepted Kandrakar's strategy, Queen Elyon. This means that you must also accept our guidance."- said Luba, who stood nearby with a stolid expression. " Phobos is a universal threat. But for his defeat to eventually become a fact, few should know the details of your coping plan. Nerissa doesn't fall into that number and you know why."

"We don't want the power which she carries to lure her into evil deeds again."- Tibor further explained, even though Elyon had already heard all that. "Her solutions are often way too radical, and we cannot risk the child's life."

Elyon sighed and looked down. For some reason, she really wished she could tell the sorceress the details of her newest strategy. Even just so that she would stop looking at her like that each time their eyes met. Nerissa looked at her with unalloyed revulsion and disappointment. It was painful to be back on her blacklist after being exposed to her softer side for a while.

"I'm starting to feel like I'm my own echo, however-"- Will interfered, annoyed. "- I have to say it again, Oracle. I do admit Nerissa can be dreadful; I don't deny that she can really cross almost any moral line there is, but for God's sake, she'd never kill a child! Even if the child is Phobos's! I know her well enough to aver this."

"No, you don't."- Luba cut her off angrily before the Oracle could retort. "Nerissa's soul is prone to corruption and proven with the capability to ahold immense darkness. Regardless of any current changes, she will never truly be considered good. "

"I guess that's true, but practice shows- "- Will argued back. "- believe it or not, that among all her bad traits, Nerissa _doesn't_ lack maternal instincts. In fact, that was what triggered her redemption most strongly, which comes to show- "

"There's a great difference between caring for your own child and that of a nemesis."- Luba emphasized coldly.

"_True_."- Will went on, furious by the fact that the cat woman seemed to deliberately miss her point with every new sentence. "But throughout the years, she has never threatened _any_ child's life and safety, not even when she had a great chance to do so with Lillian. She tried to win her on her side instead of taking her for ransom or anything of this sort-"

The meeting near the all-seeing fountain in Kandrakar was threatening to turn into yet another session of arguing and yelling. Elyon, Himerish, Will, Luba and Tibor had a harder time coming to a shared opinion, especially because of their different ethical views, Will, herself, realized grimly. On top of everything, she couldn't share what was happening during her private meetings with the Council representatives, with the girls, and that only further bugged her.

"Guardian, the Council holds you taking a liking to Nerissa in high regard; after all, it was your task to be her sovereign and indirect conservator upon her quote on quote, redemption, but you must respect our position and the decision which we've all taken."- Tibor held his hand open while speaking as if that helped his words flow more fluently.

In the end, the redhead saw herself forced to keep silent and just scowl. She had never imagined that such a day would come when she'd be a lawyer to Nerissa. But she disliked the way Kandrakar had decided to proceed. She hated their secretive and underhand approach, which seemed to be something they couldn't function without.

"I do sense discontent on many parts here."- the Oracle spoke. "Have some patience, my friends. I assure you that we are working for a better future together. Even if, as for now, some of you feel dubious about our private meetings. The most astute of decisions appear to be irrational at first, but when a series of them are made, their true wisdom becomes evident."

* * *

"Oh, what joy! The nice people from the Palace have come to visit us."- Leonida showed herself at the porch of the rest house with a steaming cup and a big smile.

Her statement caused major bewilderment and irritation among the people who were still talking in the front.

Nerissa narrowed her eyelids with contempt at the sight of the young ex-princess. What were this harlot's true motives, which remained draped in a veil of mystery till date? She had to find out more about Leonida's true intentions and plans.

"Say, does Elyon send any gifts for her unborn niece or nephew?"- Leonida asked with voice sweeter than sugar.

"Go back inside and don't come out unless you're told to, outlaw!"- Aldarn turned around to growl at her. "Brash woman..."

Leonida didn't appear fazed by his words one bit.

"Oh, Aldarn. You're too much. None of us can cross a certain magical line behind you, even if we tried to. Not until we have these on, anyway."- and with the same undying smile, she held her hand up to reveal the restraining bracelet put on her hand by Elyon. "But no worries. You truly are devoted to your kingdom and job. I love that, Aldarn. How are you still a bachelor?"

The young man felt his cheeks flush with color but said nothing in response. Aketon gave his old friend a tired, deplorable look.

"Phobos is an absolute lout, this girl not so much. She's been nothing but this, ever since they got here. Whether its all an act or not, I don't understand as to how someone like her could fall in love with the tyrant."

Julian shrugged, unable to give him an answer himself. But Nerissa just smirked awry. It wasn't a surprise for her that a group of men failed to see through such an act. But then again, Leonida was a good actress for sure. Not only that, she was also quite persistent as it seemed. What was giving her the motivation to keep it up?!

"I'm sorry if I have bothered you."- the blonde said. "We couldn't help but notice your soldiers have captured Cedric. I came to welcome him in our little home. I'm sure that my king will be happy to see him."

Cedric hissed under his nose, revolted to see that bimbo again. He despised her, but he had to focus on why he was here.

"In fact, Cedric surrendered himself and requested to be here with you. He vowed in loyalty to Phobos."- Aketon clarified. "I think you should both reconsider who you're loyal to. Especially you, Leonida."

Leonida smiled again, shaking her head in a doll-like manner, her honey-blonde locks bouncing with her every move.

"If I could, I would, sir. But the heart wants what it wants. I love my King and I will bear his child. Changing that at this stage is beyond my power and will."

Nerissa raised an eyebrow as she watched the other woman talk, jeeringly. Her manners and words... _How peachy,_ the ex-guardian thought and then took a step forward.

Leonida seemed surprised at first, but she didn't go back or move when the taller woman stopped right next to her.

"Aren't you awfully bubbly for a prisoner."- Nerissa commented scoffingly.

"It must be so because I don't feel like a prisoner at all."- Leonida shrugged. "I'm with the man, who I love and I am carrying his baby. What more can a girl wish for? As a matter of fact, I'm actually glad that we fell into your trap, Mage. This way we no longer have to do wrong things. We can focus on ourselves and my King's redemption. I agree that he has to go a long way, but I believe that in the next seven months, he will be a new person. Just like you. You redeemed yourself, didn't you, Mage?"- she added with a playful spark in her eye.

Nerissa smiled coldly, even though on the inside, her irritation was growing bigger and more heated with every passing moment.

"Oh, yes, you can say that. But I and your so-called King are quite far apart from each other. In views and _intelligence_."- she breathed theatrically, keeping the fake smile glued on her face as she talked to Leonida. "But enough about me. Say, before thinking of the impossible, why don't you concentrate on redeeming yourself first. After all, you did cause your father's death, didn't you? There was a reason why your mother dethroned you, now, wasn't there?"

"I suppose."- Leonida pursed her lips in response. "Was there a reason for when you were deprived of your properties of Heart keeper for Kandrakar?"

Nerissa's smile quenched.

_Why you little bitch_, she thought as she watched her smugness grow.

"My point is that there's a reason for everything, Mage. It's not important. One mustn't dwell in the past, one must forge their own future. Aren't I right?"

Cedric gawked. What was the bimbo doing?

"Oh, you're absolutely right. Why don't you start forging your better future by giving your mother her original form?"

And Nerissa took the glass vial out of the inner pockets of her fur and cotton dress with a victorious look on her face. This time it was Leonida's smile that quenched. Of course, when searching through their old hideout, the rebels must have found the entrapped Magana in the basement...Leonida cursed a thousand times in her head.

Cedric couldn't hide his own gloating. He wanted to see the little bitch squashed like a bug, even if that would result in points for his other enemy, the hateful, ridiculously-rejuvenated hag.

"I can't."- Leonida declared. "I mean that I can't undo this spell. Phobos put it on my mother after a particularly unpleasant confrontation we had with her. She said some really gruesome things...he lost his temper."

Julian and Aketon exchanged glances. It was bedazzling to them that someone could speak of Phobos and his actions as if they were understandable and grounded.

Nerissa was triumphant as she looked down at the ex-princess with sarcastically furrowed brows.

"I'm sure he did. He used to have a garden of such black roses. Each time someone crossed him or tried to get to the palace, Phobos turned them to flowers like this one, adding their poor souls to his collection. Rather tacky, if you ask me, but I'm sure you already knew all that. Just like you know so much else about Meridian and us." - she added darkly.

Leonida tossed her hair back and shook her head, regaining her composure.

"I would really prefer to move on and not think of past tragedies like this one."

"And you have the chance to start this journey. Restore your mother Magana's human form."- Nerissa repeated, bringing the glass closer to her face. "Persuade Phobos to do it. After all, it's his black soul you supposedly want to atone."

Leonida didn't react at once. After a long few seconds, she attempted to receive the rose from the other woman, but Nerissa moved it away from her reach.

"Good. We will talk again when and where that is to happen."- Nerissa declared with a broad, self-glad smile, as she put the rose back in her mantle. "Until then, you have time to persuade your _King_."

Not uttering another word, Leonida just stood in her place watching the sorceress and her husband set off after bidding their goodbyes with Aldarn and his father. Soon, she and Cedric were the only ones left on the porch of the rest house. The man eyed her hatefully and headed for the inside of his new prison, but she didn't follow him.

She gave herself a few minutes to be alone and think about the uncertainties and risks which she was taking. Yes, things definitely weren't going exactly according to plan. And she had already been forced to change her entire strategy once they had fallen for the staged wedding...She couldn't afford to do that again. But then again, what could she do? Nerissa was breathing in her neck, dreaming of the day when she'll vanquish her for good. Phobos was out of control because of the fact that he was once again restricted by his sister, and the fact that Cedric had joined them in home arrest, didn't seem to help or relive Leonida one bit. She dreaded the possibility of her mother coming back among her enemies because she knew that, given the new circumstances, the crone could as well decide to reveal all of their secrets and then her chances for success would be equal to none.

_No, mommy. I can't allow that to happen. I have to hamper your return_, the ex-princess pondered with eyes pinned on the snowy distance. _I have to keep the family secrets buried until this baby is born. I know I have to... But how?_

* * *

**A/N: Let me in on your thoughts. The third Arc. is here and it's going to be getting us near to the real culmination!**


	22. The Condo Corpse

**Chapter 22: The Condo Corpse**

_**"...**Criminals do not die by the hands of the law. They die by the hands of other men."_

* * *

**Heatherfield, 7:20 PM**

Cornelia Hale had always known she was born to be more than a housewife from the suburbs of Heatherfield. She couldn't lie about it- she had been privileged all her life, but that was not the only reason for her high self-esteem and distinctive personality. While growing up, she had always outshined her peers with her beauty, wit and numerous talents: ice skating, her biggest passion, ballet dancing and even a career in modeling. She had been the popular girl in school. She had had each and every motivation to dream big. But as time went by, the beautiful blonde had to give up on many dreams and make amends in the name of bigger things.

She had given up modeling to go to college. Then, when she had gotten pregnant from the love of her life, she had given up college to be a good mother. Ice skating was one of the few hobbies she had kept to this day, alongside being a guardian, of course. Yes, Cornelia was almost 25; she was still so very young, beautiful and talented. She could still make all her dreams come true... If only she hadn't learned a little something about dreams, way too early in life- most of them were meant to remain just that. _Dreams._

That was why, being true to herself, the young mother had two things on her mind while preparing a romantic dinner for her boyfriend. First, how much she wanted to make it up to him for acting like a bitch, and second, how nice it would be if she started modeling again. Yes, Cornelia Hale couldn't bear to be one-dimensional or plain- she was a hot mess and perfect ice queen all in one, and she wore her crown with pride.

"Caleb, you're home!"- the blonde exclaimed gaily when she saw her boyfriend walk through the modern kitchen door.

"Yep. Hi."- Caleb turned around and raised his left eyebrow. "What are you doin' there? Are you _cooking_?!"

"Don't sound so surprised."- Cornelia rolled her eyes, but still smiled. "I thought it would be nice to cook you dinner."

"Really? Well, that is nice of you- "

"Your parents called; they won't be coming home tonight. Lillian volunteered to look after Killian, so... it's just the two of us. So, I decided we should celebrate."

Announcing that, she pulled the apron off herself, revealing her luxurious black and pink outfit which was showing a generous amount of skin.

She looked up at her boyfriend with a twinkle in her eye, but to her disappointment, she realized that he wasn't looking back at her at all. He was going through their mail.

"Caleb."- Cornelia insisted. "We're going to have dinner. Please, go freshen up and then come to open the wine."

"Sure, Cornelia. But celebrating? We just celebrated New Year's the other day. You in the mood again?"

Cornelia blinked at him in disbelief over what she was hearing. It had been more than a week since their fight which had obviously left a scar, but she had thought that by now everything would be forgotten. It was not like Caleb to be mad at her for more than two days, especially when she was doing her best to make up for the part in the argument played by her. What was more, Caleb was sending her mixed signals. If he was still insulted by her words, then why was he fine during some days and then distant during others? _Men will be men_, Cornelia thought angrily. They had even had sex a few times after their 'big fight'. What was Mr. Rebel Leader's problem tonight, when she had put great efforts into organizing a romantic evening for him? Cornelia's confusion and desire to be sweet and kind were already morphing into fury when she finally found the words to answer:

"I obviously am in the mood. I look beautiful, I've prepared one of your favorite meals and I've managed to get the house to ourselves. So, now are you going to change into something less sweaty?"

"Yeah, I'm on it."- the man replied distractedly, throwing the mail on the kitchen island. "Sorry, I was training with the new kids in the Infinite City. It's an entirely new generation and they all want to be warriors like their older brothers and fathers. It's my responsibility to train them, right?"

"Right."- she smiled exaggeratedly. She had to avoid lashing out about all the Meridian shit, which she was sick of, again. "But baby, you smell like Blunk trained you to dumpster dive in every other dumpster in town."

Caleb grinned and playfully pecked her lips on his way out of the kitchen.

"Ew, I said go shower, Caleb!"- she demanded and pushed him away, even though she couldn't contain her own grin as he did that. There were his mixed signals again. Was he still angry with her or not? She had to know!

"I'm going, I'm going. Oh, and Cornelia."- he stopped once again at the kitchen door.

"Huh?"

"You always look beautiful."

Cornelia kept smiling at his direction, allured, long after he had headed for the upper floor. No matter what happened and how many years passed, that guy was always going to make the butterflies in her stomach dance.

* * *

**_Meridian_**

Phobos didn't know what felt worse. The fact that he was once again a prisoner to his sister's will, the fact he hadn't been able to kill her, back when she had attempted to kill _him_ during the altar ritual, or the knowledge that he was currently under watch and had to suck it up, regardless of being able to protest.

Whichever of the above topped the charts, the thought that he had failed put him in a godawful mood. He began to fidget, going in circles around the space in which he was yet again forced to remain. As if it hadn't been enough he had been in a cell for over ten years; in the past few months, he had been forced to live like a fugitive in places which didn't feel like home while his sister so offhandedly resided in _his_ Palace. How had he gotten himself into this? Once, he had been the ultimate ruler of Meridian, who everyone feared...Now they just hated him.

When had the evil prince lost all his glitz, shine and power? Since when could the guardians and his moronic sister get the better of him? Phobos gritted his teeth, and tightened his grip, crushing the glass he held in his palm to pieces. One day, one day they would all be under his thumb again and when that happened, he was going to squash his biggest enemies like ants.

"My liege. I came to check whether you need anything else before I go to bed."- Phobos turned around with his grim expression, acknowledging the other man who now stood behind him.

He waved his hand almost scornfully. If anything saved Cedric from his wraith at this point, it was the loyalty he had the prudence to show. Other than that, he had proven to be a lousy warlord and a fool. _Again._

Cedric, himself, observed the fair-haired man closely and with a hint of disappointment. Ever since he had surrendered himself in order to be here, he had waited for the right moment to talk to Phobos about what he wanted. But so far, he had no luck in that department- the prince was in a terrible mood. _Constantly_. Bringing up the question which Miranda wanted him to resolve, would result in utter disaster at this point. Cedric had to wait.

He left Phobos alone in the living space and headed for his part of the resting home, they had been put under arrest in. It was nothing special as a building, but it certainly was better than that cave he and Miranda had bided. Just another reason for him to work for their cause faster...

"Cedric."

The man stopped in the middle of the stairs where he almost collided with Leonida. He glowered but waited to hear what she wanted. But when she just kept looking at him in a catty manner, he snapped:

"The prince is waspish, he's downstairs. Go to him at your own risk. If there's nothing else, I'm retiring to my room for the night."

"Actually."- Leonida's voice stopped him yet again, a few steps up. "I've been meaning to ask you something."

"Really?"- the shifter turned around. "And what may you want to know?"

Leonida gave him a narcissistic, vicious little smile, which didn't appeal to him.

"I was wondering. Why did you actually decide to eat the humble pie from Elyon and her people? Surely, had you strained your thoughts, you could have been more useful to us by, oh I'm not sure, rescuing us from this forced shelter, maybe? Not for me, I currently have nothing against being here, but for your Prince who isn't born to be a bird in a cage- "

"Do not fool yourself that bailing you two out of here would've ever been possible for me."- Cedric frowned at her. "I don't have your magic at my disposal, princess Leonida. I did think about it, and in the end, I realized that the only and best way in which I could serve my master and his will, was by giving up my own freedom to be by his side."

"Oh, that sure is noble of you."- the ex-princess declared, even though it was more than obvious that she didn't mean what she was saying. "But Cedric, you've been here almost three days now and you still haven't asked the rightfully expected, logical question. What's next? Don't you have the interest to know?"

For a long moment, the man could feel her words of distrust scald him from the inside. That was the last thing which he needed, Leonida being suspicious of him and his motives.

_That woman truly is a menace_, he thought angrily. _She is put among us to halter our lives._

"We might be watched as we speak."- he snapped in the end, lowering a cold gaze at her. "It's senseless to raise up any such questions. Especially from the beginning of our sentence."

Leonida nodded her head slowly, but with an undying smile. True, Kandrakar was probably keeping an eye on them, but the shapeshifter was using that as an excuse, and she knew it.

But then again, she had a problem of her own which she desperately needed to tend to.

Cedric eyed her, askant, as she left the setting without any other questions.

"Princess Leonida?"

She stopped again and turned to face him somewhat surprised.

"Why is that you have nothing against being a prisoner in Gray Woods?"

Their eyes were entwined in a long duel of testability, hatred and desire for supremacy. He had returned her the ball for questioning things hidden beneath the surface of his intentions. Maybe he wasn't as stupid as she had thought:

"My King revealed my pregnancy prematurely, anyway. Now, this skookum house offers me time and tranquility so that my baby will be born in peace."

Cedric just nodded and she smiled. This time he could openly return the lip-deep gesture, for he, in his turn, had caught Leonida off guard.

* * *

Nerissa let her eyes scan the phone screen once more before setting it down on the table with a smile of satisfaction. Then she brought the glass of wine closer to her lips, letting her gaze get lost in the star-studded, night horizon of Meridian.

Magjenzian Falls were breathtaking, serene and so very sentimental. She loved how the moonlight got reflected in the crystal-clear surface and the sound the falling waters made when splashing into the still from above. It was the perfect place for the Meridian home they had wanted to have, and as the building process was progressing, Nerissa couldn't help stop herself from spending the night there with her husband. Years ago, when they had first fallen in love, they had spent so many nights naked in the grass. Now they were going to have their own dream home a stone's throw away. The sound of the waterfalls and the majestic views were all around the lot. Nerissa took a deep breath into the night and took a second to just appreciate the chance to be here again. Magjenzian Falls were just a secluded piece of Heaven, and they sure needed a little bit of heaven after the latest hell-like turn of events with Phobos and his home arrest. Yielding and just getting back to where life had first started to bloom for her after years of withering, was a welcome gift of rejuvenation.

"Reception between two worlds was odd enough, but catching it here, between the falls? Astounding."- her husband's warm, calm voice from behind her made her turn around and gift him with a smile. He was carrying yet another jug of wine with himself. _He really does think I need to get drunk in order to lose the stress, doesn't he?_ Nerissa smirked as Julian sat beside her, around the outer table.

"Ah, you know. One of the perks of controlling technology plus the Whelp's attempts to modernize the planet."- the ex-guardian mused, setting her long legs to rest across his lap.

"Yes, but text messaging? Should I be worried?"- Julian cocked an eyebrow, running his hand up her left leg.

It took Nerissa but a few seconds to get his joke, before bursting out in a care-free, maiden-like giggle.

Julian just watched her with a genuinely happy smile, for seeing his wife as laid-back wasn't an often-recurring event lately.

"The thought of that, Julian, it sounds so very plain! When have I ever done plain things? You know before texting was a thing, lovers and cheaters, in particular, used to write these notes and letters -"

"Letters? I can write letters."- Julian divulged comically, interrupting her.

Nerissa looked back at him with mirth:

"Really, then how come you've never written me one?"

As she laughed, the veteran rebel brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it.

"All jokes aside, in actuality, Cornelia informed me that she and our son have officially worked the tension out."- the ex-guardian further explained what he had seen her reading.

"Tension? They've had arguments lately?"

Nerissa proceeded to tell him all about Cornelia and Caleb's fight before Christmas and how she had later advised Cornelia to show some humility in order to remedy the situation._ The way to a man's heart isn't always through his stomach, much rather through his homeland._

"Day and night you tremble over our son's happiness. You're that very solicitous, Nerissa. Wake me up next time; I can also help."

Nerissa smiled at him. The ex-rebel just happened to be someone who longed to do everything with his two hands; he wanted to provide and take care of his family, almost reprieving her of any duty. She knew it was important for him to be her rock, that was why she had let him deal with the construction of their Meridian home, instead of using magic to complete it faster, yet still; Nerissa couldn't let Julian take it all on his shoulders.

"You've lost so many nights of sleep, Julian."- she spoke lovingly, as she caressed his face. "Over the years and especially during that one year in the horrid mines... I don't want you to ever lose sleep over nothing again. "

"You talk as if you've spent all that time in peaceful dreams."- Julian responded to her caring tone with his own love and care, taking both her hands in his.

She shook her head with a wistful smile, but he went on, nevertheless:

"After everything that we've been through, both together and individually, we ought to share both joys and miseries. This current thing with the kids is not of such importance, but I'm taking in general, for you tend to try solving all problems on your own. And you don't have to struggle with that any longer, love. You have me and you mustn't spare me anything. Promise me."

"I promise."- Nerissa murmured through the passionate kiss that their lips locked into. His tongue fought hers in a fierce, lustful duel, which she enjoyed just as much as he savored her fingers grasping through his hair with burning thirst.

Suddenly, it was not about words and talking anymore. Now it was just their bodies that communicated.

Love insisted. They had to have each other right away. The carnal desire that their bodies craved, would be pleased in their new home, which if the weather had been a little warmer, they would've hardly bothered going inside of.

And when the passion started talking, Julian gave up on asking his wife whether she felt fine, despite the recent turns of events. Even if she didn't, she would soon feel better under the magic of his touch, and he knew. If pleasing her, by releasing some sexual tension, would make her forget about the problems, even for a while, it was an even better time investment than their regular lovemaking usually was.

Nerissa just moaned, suddenly unconcerned with everything else, as she wrapped her legs around Julian's waist on the way to the half-ready house. Strong, carnal desires, had been what their relationship had started with in the first place, and then, later on, it had been sensually enriched with true love and genuine feelings. But just because she was now a loving wife and even a _grandmother,_ didn't mean that she couldn't as well be a libidinous lover. And boy, did the ex-guardian know full well how to be that...

* * *

**_A few days later, Heatherfield_**

Susan Vandom-Collins failed to appreciate the cold, gray weather that January in Heatherfield was usually accompanied by. But in the face of the unpleasant meteorological circumstances, she got ready for her yoga class downtown.

Susan wasn't a vain woman, or at least so she liked to say; but even with that, if was no secret that she cared about her looks and spent a sufficient amount of time in front of the mirror, before each and every going out in public. That was why, even though she was off to do sports, the mother of two did not miss applying some CC cream, mascara and a nice shade of melon orange lipstick, to go with her cantaloupe and black sportswear.

It was a late Saturday afternoon and the sun was already going down when Susan finally left the house; she got in her car and rushed for the wellness center, where her yoga classes were being held. She was already running late and she didn't want to miss all of the warm-up.

Susan had thought that getting to her class on time would be the most stressful part of her day, but it was not until 2 hours later, when her yoga practice had ended, that the _rea_l stress would start.

It all started with a phone call she received in her car. The caller had been an unknown number. Susan wasn't thrilled to pick up; she wanted to go home, shower and change before going out for dinner with Dean, who had just returned from a seminar abroad. But since the caller kept insisting, she saw herself forced to answer:

"Hello?"- she said, trying not to show her annoyance.

"_Good evening, am I speaking to Mrs. Vandom?_"

"This is she."- Susan replied, stopping the car at the next red traffic light. "How can I be useful to you? Who's calling, by the way?"

"_Mrs. Vandom, this is Officer Alexis from the Heatherfield Police_."- the man said from the other line and Susan could immediately feel her heart sink. The police?! "_Neighbors of your condo in ''Jensen Locus'' contacted us. Mrs. Vandom, please come here at once. There has been a **death** on your property."_

* * *

"Jensen Locus" was one of these fancy apartment complexes around town, where the wealthier resided. Constructed and owned by local and national celebrity performer, and dance guru, Kevin Jensen, the luxurious complex could be considered the second most expensive in Heatherfield after "Garden Plaza".

Upon inheriting a condo in it, in the end of summer, when her husband's will had been fulfilled, Susan Vandom- Collins had thought of giving the residence for rent, yet she had never got to actually publishing an offer. That was why she was twice as astounded and worried when she got that particular phone call from the police.

Susan parked in front of the tall building, not even bothering to stop her car within the borders of the assigned parking spaces. She was in a hurry to get to the 5th floor and seek answers regarding the very disturbing news she had just received. But before she could make her way through the frosty garden area...

"Mom!"- her daughter had parked just across of her. Susan nailed herself in place, exhaling deeply.

"I can't believe this."- Will stood towards her, spreading her arms in anger and disappointment. "Seriously?! You weren't going to tell me about this, _again_? Did you forget I'm co-owner of this place? I got a call just like you. I thought we've stricken a deal, to be honest with each other and..."

"Will, please."- Susan begged her, feeling the stress trigger a sharp migraine. "I just arrived here; I was literally flying on my way to here after my yoga class. I didn't even think of keeping you in the dark this time."

"This time."- Will murmured under her nose. She instantly regretted her sharp reaction. Her mother was just as shocked and appalled by the news as her, if not more. It was just that all the nervousness and stress she had accumulated over the last weeks, reflected on her entire being in so many, _unpleasant_ ways.

"Mom, I'm so sorry. I know you must be shocked and worried, but it's all going to be fine."- the guardian approached her mother and wrapped a reassuring arm around her shoulders. "I'm here. We're going to go through this together. Whatever crazy thing has happened in dad's apartment. It can't be worse than losing him, right? And we've already gone through that."

"You're right, Will."- Susan managed to smile weakly. "You've become more mature than I give you credit for, haven't you?"

"Well, if you say so, I'll take the compliment."- Will grinned back.

Her mother graced her with another warm smile before her face became despondent and a few thin wrinkles of worry appeared on her forehead:

"We've been through a lot indeed, but a death on our property? It's scary, no one else has keys to Tony's condo. I can't wrap my mind around how it happened."

"Let's just go upstairs and talk to the police."- Will suggested, keeping the other woman in the over-the-shoulder embrace. "I'm sure it's just some unhappy coincidence and that there's an explanation for it.

"Hey, wait up! I'm here!"

The two women turned around at the sound of the new voice, just before the entrance of the complex. It was completely dark by that time, but Will didn't need her eyes to recognize his voice:

"Matt, I told you to stick to your work."- she rebuked him, even though she was more than glad to see his familiar strong frame in a blue bomber jacket approach. "We were going to be fine."

"Stop with the BS, Will. I can't leave you two go up to a _crime scene_ alone."- Matt insisted. "Susan, you want me to call Professor Collins?"- he suggested.

Susan, who had been smiling faintly, happy to see her daughter's steady relationship flourish, shook her head:

"No, Matt. Thank you though. You two being with me will really make matters better. Come on, let's go and talk to Officer Alexis."

They took the elevator all the way to the fifth floor, where her father's condo was located. Will remembered it full well, he had bought it upon coming to Heatherfield, and she had been there with him every other weekend for a while. Then she had come less and less often, and she hated herself for that. Nevertheless, coming here had been fun and it did trigger the redhead's melancholy and dolor over Tony's death. Everything, from the corridors to the swimming pool area and the apartment door, was drenched in memories. Seeing the policemen in front of that same door now did make Will's stomach turn.

Susan felt the same way. She tried to avoid the eyes of curious neighbors that were looking at the scene from their doors. Officer Alexis, a tall dark-skinned man in his 30s, noticed them and greeted them somewhat sternly:

"Ms. and Mrs. Vandom, right? Glad you could make it. Otherwise, we would've had to send a car for you."

Will blinked at him, trying not to be distracted by all the other policemen and the yellow tape that they had put all around.

"A car for us? I'm sorry, officer, but isn't that only done for suspects?"

Officer Alexis gave her a look which she didn't like at all. She turned to look at her mother who was even more bewildered and frightened than her. Matt also looked clueless and when none of the uniformed men answered her, Will saw herself forced to ask again.

"Officer?"- she repeated. "Is something wrong? Other than...somebody dying here, of course."

_Swell Will_, she thought to herself, mentally slapping her forehead.

"...how did it happen, though? We would appreciate some answers."

"That's what we're aiming to find, too, Ms. Vandom."- Officer Alexis replied shortly. He and one of the other cops exchanged glances and a short nod. "Meanwhile, since you mentioned suspects. You are on the _top of the list_. You have the right to remain silent and contact a lawyer. My colleagues will now take you to the station. "

"What?! Officer?"- Susan exclaimed in shock before Will could even assimilate what she had just heard. "On the phone, you said there has been a death on our property, now you're saying that it has been a murder?!"

"Officer, it can't be."- Matt interjected seeing Will lose her cool and Susan panic. "Both my girlfriend and her mother have alibis, I can assure you that- "

"All that will be discussed down in the police station, Mr. Olsen. Please do not hinder our work or we'll have to resort to force."

And before Matt could wonder as to why the man knew his name, he got pushed out of the way. Two men solemnly urged Will and Susan to go forward.

"Wait a minute!"- Susan demanded, still in shock. "I don't understand anything, why are you doing this? Is no one going to tell us the identity of the deceased? Why are you treating us like _criminals?!_"

Will was beside herself. This was the last thing which she needed to add to her unhealthy anger and, lately, malleable psyche. Now someone was trying to frame her and her mother, and these stupid cops treated them like crap! No, she wasn't having this. Without thinking about it, she got free of the man who had been holding her, giving him a case of bad static electricity, which surprised him.

"Will!"

No one could stop her, she made her way in the residence, jumping through the yellow tape. She had to see it with her eyes. What was this all about?! What were they being mistreated for! Who the hell had kicked the bucket in her late father's home?

"Hey, what the heck? Someone, stop this woman!"- one of the criminologists present in the living room began, but Will pushed her away.

She had already seen what the object of the crime was. And then she felt it. The awful, putrid smell. _A smell of death_.

The young guardian felt her stomach turn another time as she found herself standing in front of the big freezer, her father had used to keep stocked up with ice cream in the past.

Could the deceased be in there? But this smell...No one that has just died smelled as fetid as that... Unless...

Will dared to cast a look inside the freezer, which had been opened, and barely managed to contain her scream. Inside the freezer, which had once stored her favorite ice-cream treats, now rested a terrifying, _decaying_ corpse that looked up at her with its black, empty eye-sockets.

* * *

**The "Condo Corpse" is a minor storyline that will be unfolding during the next 10 chapters or so. It's a part of Arc. 3. Do let me in on your thoughts! See u soon. **

**xoxox ~jimelization~**


	23. Enter Jessie Alexis

**Chapter 23: Enter Jessie Alexis**

_**"**The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it."  
\- A. Einstein_

* * *

In the center of Infinity, where time runs differently, time for negations is _still, very much limited_. In the spur of the moment, during one of the, lately, more and more frequent meetings, these were the thoughts that went through Yan Lin's head.

Yan Lin was an old hand when it came to Kandrakar and its many quests, rules and ordeals. In her time, she had probably seen more than any other former guardian or alumnus of the fortress could brag about, yet she could still not bear to accept certain opinions without a hint of disfavor. Whether it was hidden in her disciplined posture, the way her sleeves went in each other while she listened, or in a certain new little wrinkle around her eyes, the trace of disapproval for _bizarre_ was always there. The ex-guardian perceived herself as a calm and rational woman, but sometimes, her inner immigrant old-lady who has spent the last sixty years of her life in an American city, said her eloquent word:

"As much as I sympathize with your opinion and stance, my old friend, Luba is henpecking you big time, and according to my ken, that has never ended gloriously for any man, anywhere."

Her blunt, but honest statement, caught all the eyes of the hall, including those of the Oracle who looked as if he sensed a great deal of headache coming his way.

Endarno rustled in his place, visibly taken aback by what he had heard. He had come to this meeting from one of the fortress's many towers, where he spent the majority of his time. He had received a special invite to join a discussion, he didn't have much to say about, but before he could even reply, Luba took the word, fuming:

"Yan Lin was not originally a part of these meetings, Oracle! How are we to be certain that she won't reveal our discussions here to Nerissa? They're friends. And judging by her behavior, I'm dispirited!"

"Luba."- Himerish sighed almost inaudibly. "Do not stir up the harmony, Luba. Yan Lin is here to represent Will, who has problems on Earth and is hindered from attending, you are aware of that. The Council has full trust in Yan Lin and we are certain that understanding the true essence of these meetings, she will keep them in secret. And why wouldn't she? She has never before given us reason to doubt her intentions and devotion, hence your words are offending. Please, stick to the point."

"Thank you, Oracle."- the former Air guardian smiled awry. "Yet I feel that Luba and I pursue a different point."

"My point is clear. I want to fulfill the will of Kandrakar and help keep the Universe balanced. What is yours, Yan Lin?"- Luba glared at her with her cat-like, piercing eyes.

The old woman just shook her head with a wistful smirk. Yes, she couldn't hide her disapproval, but at least she could display it as reasonably as possible:

"Your radical suggestion to do something impossible resembles that one wrong decision the Council took many years ago, Luba. It- "

"So you finally stand by your friends and their opinion!"- Luba exclaimed accusingly, raising her long-nailed finger at Yan Lin. "You admit you find the decision Cassidy to take control over the Heart of Kandrakar to have been wrong? I wonder as to why it took you many years to express your _real_ opinion, Yan Lin. All these years you've been pretending to stand by our Oracle, but now, when your old guardian group is reunited, you've turned overconfident! Did you hear that, Oracle?"- and with a rapid look, she faced the bald man, who remained still and visibly calm. "This is the real face of Yan Lin, who you consider most worthy of the Council's trust!"

"I didn't mean that decision, in particular, Luba, and I may have my own thoughts on it too; we all do, don't we. But in the end, that has nothing to do with the point we're trying to prove around here."- and the former guardian blinked calmly, relishing in the sight of the face which the keeper of the Aurameeres made. "I was speaking of the decision to imprison my old friend Nerissa on Mount Thanos, all these years ago. It sadly reminds me of your today suggestion to take all her power and turn her ordinary. I know Nerissa; ordinality will be her undoing. And I don't want that to happen now when I can finally see her soul uncorrupted and her heart filled with love. Oracle-"

Yan Lin turned to the man who smiled at her warmly. He could see through her words as she could see through his smile. For both they knew, they were both being sincere.

"Oracle, the crisis with Phobos is under control, but only for now. The Council has already foreseen a new problem that'll arise in the near future and that problem will be connected to him. Until then, we have to keep waiting. My experience has taught me that patience is the key to fight the unknown."

"Experience is the teacher of fools!"- Luba hissed angrily, having sensed the direction in which this meeting was going. Himerish was going to agree on Yan Lin's terms any minute now and she couldn't allow that. She couldn't live through this again.

"And the father of wisdom."- Yan Lin added and winked at her.

Shaking with anger, Luba went on. She had had it with these former and present guardians playing the entire Council for fools. She longed justice. And justice had to be served once and for all.

"We have to act before the situation with both Phobos and Nerissa has gotten out of control!"

"To be completely fair, Nerissa hasn't lived up to our worst expectations."- Tibor interfered after a long silence on his part. "Despite the failure of her plan to defeat Phobos and Leonida, she hasn't lost the string of sanity as she has respectively done in the past."

"Who cares!"- Luba barked. "Who cares! Neither has Phobos! What of it? Does that mean that he can be redeemed as well?"

"Maybe."- the ex-guardian said, mostly to peeve her.

"It is possible, though I don't believe it."- Himerish shook his head. "He will be a father...then we will know for sure. The paths of faith are unknown."

"He won't change."- Elyon said bitterly. "Not for his child, not for anything."

As usual, the young Queen was also attending the meeting, but her mind was elsewhere. She thought of all the problems and trouble she was facing, and how her decision to reprieve Phobos yet again had made everyone look at her with disappointment. Nerissa, most of all people... But then again, Elyon respected her for it. She knew she deserved reproach. Maybe the Mage just had the guts to express it openly, unlike everyone else.

While the queen was going through an inner identical crisis, Luba's rage kept gaining speed:

"Why don't we let each and every criminal redeem themselves and start over?"- she shouted, enraged by yet another fruitless meeting. None of these beings knew what had to be done. None of them knew what it was like.

"Is that what you all want? Тhere's no balance in the Universe this way! We're toying with forces we cannot control. Oracle, sinners have to be punished and saints have to be cherished! Not the other way around! Why is that those who deserve good never get it and those who don't get so many chances?!"

Endarno and Tibor exchanged glances, while Yan Lin chose to look at the Oracle's stoical posture.

"Luba."- he said in the end. "You mustn't be polemical like that. You know that the Universe balances itself. We have to guide the good, but in the end, fate's decisions always prevail. We don't interfere in fate; you are aware. I sense dread hanging over your rationality and soul. Please, stay safe from darker thoughts. I proclaim this meeting over now. We shall meet again when my upcoming three moon- meditation comes to an end. I'll be going to the meditation chambers now if you'll all excuse me. Only deep cogitation within my own body and soul will help me figure out the next right step. The next three days we will let the events flow freely."

* * *

**_Heatherfield_**

"What do you mean ''it's too early to discuss this''? It's been two days, I'm here to pay Wilhelmina Vandom's bail!"- Cornelia slammed her fist against the police desk with an angry spark in her bluebottle eyes.

_Not the smartest move_, Hay Lin noted with worry as she observed the tall police officer stand up from his chair. But Cornelia was not to be underestimated. Even when Hay Lin thought that they'll be thrown out:

"If you do that one more time, Ms. Hale, I'll throw _you_ in Wilhelmina Vandom's cell!"

"Really?"- Cornelia sneered in his face. "And I'll press charges against you for violating your position! Will's lawyer and the Supreme Court, settled the price of the bail yesterday! I don't get why you're trying to keep her and her mother in here, but you can't do that anymore, not without evidence against them! For all we know, anyone could've put that body in their condo! Do your investigating before trying to give out life sentences! Yesterday you closed the entire Police Station early, just so that we couldn't pay the settlement, but now you can't reject us."- and she threw the judicial warrant in his face. "So, take the money and release my friend!"

Officer Alexis replied to her poisonous glare with a cold one and took the paper off his shirt.

"I know how things work in your world, you spoiled bitch."- he gritted his teeth at her. "You pay for everything with you daddy's money and you think that just because you can afford it, you can have it instantly-"

"Excuse me?!"- Cornelia couldn't believe her ears.

Seeing that she was on the verge of slapping the man, Hay Lin grabbed a hold of her hand instinctively.

"-But guess what."- the officer went on. "This is not the mall, so sit down on your ass before you get to know how exactly the police can make you respect them. No autopsy results, no bail for your friend."

"The autopsy results are here!"

_Finally!_ Hay Lin breathed in relief.

Alexis turned around, having heard Irma's loud announcement, only to find her standing beside one of the main pathologists. The man with the shaved head took the paper folder being handed to him reluctantly and visibly irked, then looked back at the doctor to make a comment, but the doctor was faster:

"Inspector, the results on the Vandom case were already sent to the official email of the police station, but I'm here to give them to you in person, by Ms. Lair's request. It was highly unprofessional of us to slow them down so much, but due to the unforeseen circumstances that hit forensic medicine yesterday..."- the man cleared his throat.

Cornelia and Hay Lin exchanged suspicious glances. They were both thinking the same thing, and they didn't even need telepathy to double-check. The police station being unreasonably closed just when they were to arrive and the 'unforeseen circumstances'' that had hidden the pathology department, both had to do with Officer Alexis's frantic reluctance and hostile demeanor towards Will and her mother...

"You may not know this about me, Alexis, but I'm a cop's daughter."- Irma said jauntily as she watched the man go through the documents with a pulping vein on his forehead..."I know how things work around here and when dad's friends in the pathology said that there has been a false gas leakage signal there yesterday, I had to make sure that Will's ticket to bail will be delivered here today."

_\- What took you so long!_\- Cornelia elbowed Irma with a reproachful face. _This guy was so getting on my nerves._

-_ I had to convince the pathologist to finish Will's report today and it wasn't easy, OK, Corny?!_\- Irma's telepathic voice snapped. _My dude here has all the lower positioners under his thumb! Not only has he started that gas leakage rumor, the doctor who was supposed to originally operate on the body found at Mrs. Vandom's, has been hit by a hit and run driver! Coincidence, I don't think so!_

\- _That jackass_. - Cornelia raged. - _What's his problem, anyway?! He's new in town, he substitutes your father, why is he so determined to make Will's life a living hell?!_

Irma didn't have an answer to that for she wondered the same. But as the two young women got carried away in their conversation, Alexis handed the folder back to the dazed doctor.

"Trust me, I know all about your nepotism practice. That's exactly why I have the full reason to deny these results and demand a doublecheck."

"_What?!_"- Cornelia gritted her teeth and looked back at her friend, who just glared grimly at the officer. He smiled snidely in return.

"See, this time, your daddy being a cop won't cover for your shit, Ms. Lair."

The water guardian had assumed he'd use a line of that sort to his advantage; her mother had warned her how to speak and not to speak in front of the authorities, for years. But then again, Alexis hardly lacked the given information already.

"You can't do that!"- Hay Lin exclaimed, sincerely concerned about her friend being held like a prisoner for another day. "Will's innocent, you can't do this to her and her mother!"

"Can't I?"- Alexis seemed to find relish in her helplessness. "That's what they all say. And what does a restaurateur's daughter know about police rights, anyway?"

Hay Lin gawked at him. She and the other guardians exchanged glances. That they had never told him. So, he really did have them pinned...But why?! This man's attitude was frighteningly starting to resemble that of Sylla, one of their former teachers who had wanted to expose their double identities to the world...

"You're free to go, doctor."- Alexis said coldly, looking down at the other man. "Take these results and run a double-check. Make sure that your friendship with the former chief constable around here, _doesn't_ cloud your judgment."

Cornelia was beside herself. She hated this guy with a passion already. But before she could lash out and yell at him, Irma spoke, in a surprisingly calm manner:

"At this point, it's pointless to deny you're doing everything you can to keep the Vandoms behind bars for a longer time. Say, Officer, do you sincerely believe them to be guilty or are you just desperately trying to make a name for yourself in Heatherfield?"

"I don't have to do that, because I'm not planning to stick around your little town for my entire life like your father did."- the man replied almost maliciously. "I'm here to substitute for the next 4 months. Then I'm off to New York. I don't have to work to create a name for myself, my name _works for me_, Lair. That being said, if you're all quite done with the desperate attempts to get the Vandoms on bail, come again in 24 hours. I have the legal right to keep them here until then. After all, they're suspected of murder."

"Inhibited jerk."- Cornelia murmured under her breath, tossing her long blond pony back. Her eyes met those of the inspector. Whether he had heard her or not, the tall man only smirked:

"Sorry not sorry, Hale. Come try to bite me again tomorrow. Or anything else you'd like to do to me. Anytime, you've got my number and I certainly have got yours."

Alexis was just turning around on his heel to leave the setting smugly and let the three women be with thumbs in their mouths, unable to say or do anything more, when another, new female voice interfered:

"Can I bite too? But be warned; I'm a shark."

Theresa Cook had entered the building and everyone knew what that meant. All the police officers, who had been ignorant of the recent dispute, hurried to go to their places or busy themselves with work. The pathological doctor took a respective step back, for the woman was now standing directly in front of the officer.

With her strict gray pantsuit and flawlessly cut, straight bangs, Theresa Cook knew how to provoke anyone's respect. Jessie Alexis was yet to be convinced of that:

"Don't you greet people? Perhaps we haven't been acquainted yet. I'm judge Cook. Don't you think it's a tad unprofessional to talk to women in this way when at work?"

Even her first question had undermined him. As Alexis seemed to struggle with finding the right words to reply with, the girls couldn't help exchange small smiles. Taranee, who was coming their way, smiled back at them. Her mother could have many traits she wasn't exactly fond of, but her desire for justice was to be admired.

\- _Thank God you came, Taranee!_ \- Hay Lin greeted her when their friend lined up with them. - _We were beginning to lose hope. This guy really wants to torment Will and Susan._

\- _He's such a bitch!_ \- Irma was furious. -_ I can't believe that's who's to substitute my father._

\- _Not for long, he'll not! Taranee, get your mom to send him away_. - Cornelia insisted. - H_e's an ass and his place is not in Heathefield. He belongs on the top of a mountain!_

\- _Take it easy, girls_. - Taranee was the voice of reason in their heads. - _We have to take things one at a time; we're here to arrange Will and Susan's bail. They need their freedom. Once that is done, we'll get to the bottom of everything else._

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, in Nigel's car, Irma was starting to get impatient. It was a cold, bright day out in Heatherfield, and she and the others were waiting in the police station's parking lot, as advised by Mrs. Cook. Alongside all the problems on Meridian, they now had this horrible cop in town who was clearly determined to turn their girlfriend's daily routine into hell under the stars. _Just fabulous_, the water-witch thought bitterly as she glanced at the others.

Taranee was nervously stretching her neck, looking at the exit. Hay Lin was biting her nails, while Cornelia was wrapping a strand of hair around her finger, again and again. Of course, they were all impatient. How unfortunate it was that her father had had to transfer just now!

But Irma's impatience quickly grew into disappointment when she saw Theresa walk out of the police station, alone.

"This soo can't be happening."- Cornelia murmured.

"Poor Will."- Hay Lin sighed.

Taranee just stirred in her place. She wasn't about to underestimate her mother just yet and she would turn out to be right. It was just that, in addition to her worry for the Vandoms, Taranee was also worried because of her work, lectures and the fact that she was breaking out at 24. Stress was such a major factor for them on the daily...

"Mrs. Cook, did that son of a bitch-"- Irma began when the judge opened the door of the jeep, but Theresa was quick to give them the news:

"Will and Susan are getting ready to leave, relax."- she said to their relief. "In spite of everything, justice will be served. Jessie Alexis is a tough one and he won't leave the case just like that, but we will prove him wrong. I will personally see to that."

"How did you him to accept the bail, after all?"- Taranee asked, suspicious of her mother's vehement tone. "Even though he's slowing down the evidence, we can't prove it. He had the legal right to keep them in custody for another day- "

"Don't get me started, because I'll get angry again."- Theresa tried to dodge the question, moving her suitcase and her handbag from the left hand to the right. "Anyhow, you wait here, Will and Susan will need a lift. I'm going, I have to be in time for Cassidy's checkup- "

"Mom!"- the fire guardian demanded. "Tell me! We have to be ready for everything, so better tell me what you did. Because if he gets you off the case- "

"He can't do that."- Theresa interrupted her and then sighed. "I'm a professional, Taranee, but I do admit, that man got on my nerves. I've interacted with thousands of cops, yet I've never encountered a more insolent one. Noting against cops, by the way, Irma."- she added. "Your father is a great, heroic man, who keeps the profession's good name."

"I know, Mrs. Cook."- Irma beamed in response, much to Cornelia's distaste. She had told her not to use that babyish tone a thousand of times. Whenever Irma did, even unwittingly, she cringed.

"_Mom_."

"Fine, it may have slipped my lips. _Fine_. I said it. I said 'I've known Susan Vandom and her daughter for 12 years. There's a much higher chance for her dead ex-husband to have committed the crime, after all, it was his property.' Then he asked me whether I'm pressing charges against Tony Vandom and I said that the court will consider it, hence he released Will and Susan. Up until this point, no one but the police has pressed charges against them, because there was a body found on their property, but with no witnesses, no evidence... Now the case may have a main suspect, who's reported...-"

"Oh, boy."- Irma cringed and looked at her friends.

They were all in perplexity, except for Taranee who slapped her forehead.

"But how can charges be pressed against a deceased man?"- Cornelia couldn't understand. "What are they gonna do, how will they prove it? Tony died in March last year. This person can't have died that long ago, can they?"

"They _can_. Ugh. Everything's a lot more complicated now!"- Taranee exclaimed in frustration. "What a newbie move, mom! When did you start work, yesterday? Susan and Will are going to be extremely angry with us now."

"I know, Taranee, but he got me angry! What's the point of crying over spilled milk now?"- Theresa leaned on the car door. "And don't be quick to rebuke me. I know how to proceed from now on."

"Yeah, right. Once you've brought that into the picture, it's just a big mess. We should've just let them stay in custody another day, tomorrow it would've been illegal for Alexis to refuse the bail."- Taranee folded her arms and sunk in the driver's seat. "It wasn't worth it."

"On the contrary, Taranee."- Hay Lin disagreed with concern in her eyes. "Will couldn't spend another night there. We have to think of her mental health. "

"Hay-Hay's right."- Irma said. "Will hasn't been the same lately. She doesn't need all this additional stress. We did good. You did good, Mrs. Cook."

"Besides, since Mr. Vandom is no more, what can the court do?"

"When you think of it, people would've linked him to it, either way."- Cornelia reasoned. "It was his apartment."

"It's different when someone puts his name in the story."- Taranee shook her head. "My mother, in this case. Alexis is, for some reason, determined to make Will and Susan's life hell, and now he has a platform to do many different things, which he couldn't do before. If he's creative enough, which he is, he might still sue the Vandoms. If the jury recognizes Tony as guilty, they can demand a settlement. Much more than his good name will be tarnished and- "

"Big deal, we'll pay the settlement."- Cornelia interrupted her friend. "Money won't be a problem for Will, because she's my friend. What matters is that she and Susan won't be sentenced and won't have a criminal record- "

"Cornelia, you don't know all about law."- Taranee snorted. "In part, you were right."- she added upon realizing her words had triggered a scowl on the blonde's face. "They weren't going to be able to proceed against a deceased man if my mother hadn't mentioned it. Because she's the judge and she has the power to bring it up! Alexis disabled one of the few advantages which we had, that's why I'm angry. We can't flop anymore- "

"Taranee, that's enough."- Theresa cut her off. "Maybe you shouldn't have given up being a lawyer since you know so much about the codex and the law of the state."

"Well, maybe I will reconsider the opportunity."- her daughter frowned.

"I'll be extremely happy if you do. But until you get your degree in that, don't be so quick to doubt me. I already said that I'll fix it. Alexis won't be able to bring it up in Court because I'll change my statement, when in front of the jury- "

"Perhaps I didn't express myself clear enough. We lost one of the _legal_ advantages which we had. What you're suggesting is illegal!"

"You'd be surprised to find about the illegal affairs I've closed my eyes for, in your name."- her mother said, making Irma almost burst out in laughter in the worst possible moment. _**(chapter 7 ;)**_

Hay Lin's mouth hung open, while Cornelia just stared incredulously. But Taranee was definitely the most astounded:

"What?!"

"Nothing, I have to go! I'll be late for the checkup"- and Theresa waved them off, heading for her own car." I'll catch you later. Bye, girls!"

A minute passed in half-tense, half- comical silence as the guardians waited for her friend and her mom to emerge from the building, after Theresa's departure.

"_IN my NaMe_. What is she talking about?!"- Taranee exploded. "She's getting crazier than ever! I'll have to- "

"Forget about that, Tara, we have more important things to discuss!"- Irma slapped her knee. "If it'll make you feel better, my dad used to give tickets to all the parents who complained about me in kindergarten! Oh, and one time, when Cornelia and her grandmother were about to come and pick up Lillian when she and Chris were in 10th grade, dad got his friends to put a brace on their driver's car. Just to give Lil and Chris more the before the next _socialite sermon_. Of course, it turned out that it had been pointless because Cornelia and Vera were sooo busy doing their makeup, they headed for their car two hours later than they had announced they'll come to our house..."

"Big Ha!"- Cornelia glared daggers at the water-witch and at Hay Lin, who giggled. "My grandmother made _me_ drive her to the stupid police station and I lost two more hours of my night while she spoke to your dad about 'the importance of shaving'!"

"My point is that at a certain point, everyone abuses their authority to some extent."- Irma summarized, taking out her phone. "Now, forget about all that, and let's do our planning carefully. We'll investigate the case with the corpse in the condo, ourselves."

"That's not a bad idea."- Taranee admitted. "But given the circumstances, finding where to start from will be hard, even for us, guardians. But if we all think together-"

"How about starting from the autopsy."- Irma grinned slyly. "These files are confidential, but guess who took pics of the entire folder on their phone."

Her friends stared at her with plate-like eyes.

"Gee, being a cop's daughter definitely taught you to think like a criminal."- Cornelia teased. "Good job, though."

"Ah, don't pretend that we haven't done shit like that before, _Corny Jenner!_ Remember when we broke into ''Simueltech''?"

"Let me see."- Taranee took the phone from her friend and started reading out loud. "Gender- male, age- around 63, time of death- "

She suddenly stopped.

"Um, girls..."- Hay Lin began, but the other two were too occupied with Taranee's reaction.

"What is it already?"- Cornelia demanded.

"Yeah, what's the cause of death?"- Irma asked, shaking Taranee up. "Hellooo."

"If we're going to be keeping this a secret from Will, you better shut up!"- Hay Lin pinched the water guardian.

"Ouch! And whyyy-"

"Because Will and her mom are coming this way!"

She was right. Everyone, but Taranee, aimed their attention at the two women that had just walked out of the police station.

"Quickly, honk so that they see us!"- Cornelia reached from the back seat to follow her own advice. "And zip it with the investigation! They shouldn't hear about Tony being dragged in the case just yet."

Taranee handed Irma back her phone.

"I don't see that happening."- she said quietly.

"Huh?"

"About Tony."- Taranee looked at the other three women seriously. "They'll hear."

"Yeah, if you don't shut up!"- Irma shoved her. "They'll be in the car in 30 seconds!"

"No, not because of that, but because the condo corpse died about 340 days ago."

"Your point?"- Irma rolled her eyes.

Susan was going to open the door any minute now. She was probably wondering why they waited in the car, without emerging to welcome them properly. Will just looked grim and Taranee wasn't talking anymore.

Then, all of a sudden, Cornelia got it:

"Oh, my God!"- she whispered in the last moment, available for pondering on the topic. "Tony was still alive back then."

* * *

Luba walked into her personal tower with a grim expression on her face. Kandrakar was her home. Kandrakar was what she had devoted herself to, but deep inside, she'd always know- Kandrakar was her final stop. The one on which her dreams and hopes, had been forever halted and shattered. Her life's journey had forever become a stagnation and desertion.

"My destiny and the promises given to me were never fulfilled, my student."- the Basilíadian narrated for the mysterious figure in her tower. "I was promised a life of adventure, love and happiness. A life that had a future. I was never made what I was initially fated to be. Yes, they made me keeper of the Aurameeres. A position and responsibility, the importance of which I understand and value. For so many human years, I've been devoted to and perfect in taking care of the mystic Aurameeres. But the amount of injustice I've suffered is an unbearable weight on my shoulders. I'm afraid I can no longer carry it as I did up until now"

As she said that, the waters in the mystic pond stirred, projecting the images of her memories. The mysterious figure in the shadows watched in silence, as Luba sat by the waters, somewhat tiredly.

_***FLASHBACK***_

_A young Luba entered the Hall of the Congregation, all trembling in awe and anticipation. Her long years of preparation and training in _Basilíade_ had ended two summers ago. She was one of the brightest students of her teacher, Sina, and was hence approved by the Oracle himself, who welcomed her with a warm smile. Luba was thrilled to serve Kandrakar, like most of her kind, but her skills, talents and achievements assured her precedence. Not just anyone got invited to Kandrakar during an important ritual, and she was proud of herself it._

_The current situation in the Fortress of Infinity was solemn and of great importance. The entire Council had gathered in the special amphitheatrical hall, specially created for the purpose of the Mystic Picking- an ancient ritual in which the almighty Heart of Kandrakar was about to distinguish its next guardians._

_Luba watched, holding her breath in awe. She felt so very privileged to attend such an exceptional ceremony; Sina, herself, had told her how lucky she is to be here, with all these wise beings, as the Heart of the Fortress makes a choice of a lifetime._

_The Oracle was decked in a pristine, pure white robe when he stepped into the center of the majestic temple, around which light flowed freely and graciously. He looked so very solemn, yet welcoming at the same time, Luba could not not feel her heart skip a beat..._

_Then, he took his place on the circle like podium, and sat by the jewel, placed in an eye-catching stand made of pure energy. Then, the Aurameeres, these five magical, colorful orbs emerged from the Heart in a graceful manner, slowly beginning to circulate around the Oracle and his right-hand man._

_Luba could feel their mystic force from her seat. These orbs were beyond powerful...They were of key importance to the guardians. To her..._

_"A time has come, my friends."- Himerish spoke in a dignified tone. "A time for Kandrakar to choose a new set of guardians. Five protectors of the Hearts' cosmic might. Five girls that are going to protect the Universe from all evil that lurks in the shadows...For the evil which is looming above all of us..."_

_"Who are the chosen ones this time, Oracle?"- one sage asked._

_"Patience, my friend. The good news are to unfold in front of your very eyes."- the Oracle smiled, spreading his arms. "The Heart of Kandrakar has not recognized beings capable of bearing its incredible demand and power in years. But today its voice is strong and it must be heard!"_

_Could it be, Luba thought, trembling in her seat. Could it be that I've triggered the mystic Heart. Could my hard work and devotion have made it chose me after years of naught? Sina did say that there hasn't been a student like me in years..._

_"...The five girls, chosen by our beloved Heart, are extraordinary human beings."- Himerish went on. "All of them carry significance in their souls and a great potential to one day reach absolute perfection with the five elements that will serve them from this day on!"_

_"Human girls?"- Sina raised her voice._

_"Magical girls, Sina."- Himerish corrected her with a smile. "Nature is their friend, Earth their mother and the forces of nature their allies. The new guardians of Kandrakar are meant to do great good!"_

_The rest of the ceremony, Luba spent in a blur. At first, she didn't understand what was going on and when she did, all the nature forces had already emerged from within the orbs, which were the only thing to remain..._

**_*END OF FLASHBACK*_**

"My faith was deceived; my dreams were ruined and my future was tainted."- the keeper of the Aurameeres kept narrating once the image of the memory faded. "Sina had beguiled me. She was my teacher and all she ever wanted was for me to be a good student... But the way she laughed in my face when I shared my pain with her was pure evil. She said someone like me would never in a million years be chosen by the Heart of Kandrakar. She suffered feeling inferior herself, hence she wanted to make me feel the same...After she had given me false allusions after I had pictured a life of glory and good in my head, she just ruined it with but a few words. She never even tried to comfort me after the Heart chose Nerissa and her guardians over me."- Luba turned to face the other being on the premises. "Now you know why I can't stand the injustice. Why I can't stand watching Nerissa being given new chances after each and every one of her terrible mistakes! Why must someone as diabolic as her keep receiving while I lose?! It's horrendous iniquity..."

Luba made yet another pause, but the other figure didn't speak.

"And now that you know my secret, I expect of you to support me, Orube. You're my last little piece of hope. Everyone else are already lost in the web of Nerissa's madness. No one finds her to be a menace anymore. They're all so _terribly wrong_."

"I understand you, teacher Luba, but I'm afraid that what you're asking me to do is beneath me."- Orube finally spoke up.

Her answer was short but eloquent. Dressed in a traditional light Basilíadian kimono, she stood in her place stoically and with pride. Luba, however, wasn't quite satisfied with the heard:

"What!? Orube, I'm your teacher. I've fought for you so many times, are you actually going to betray me as well? After all that I've done for you!"

"It brings me great pain that you feel this way, teacher Luba, but what you ask of me is not what a warrior does! And I'm a warrior; I've fought side by side with the guardians, I cannot now put a knife in their backs."

"What about my back?! My forsaken trust and destiny?!"- Luba raged. "Did you not see and hear what injustice I've suffered?! Orube, the guardians are deranged ever since that woman entered their lives in this new way. They can no longer distinguish right and wrong."

"And the Oracle? The otherwise people around here?"- the younger Basilíadian asked distrustfully. "Are they beguiled as well?"

"You have not yet met Nerissa."- Luba approached her within inches and hissed: "She is beyond base. She was able to fool so many people, for so many years, the Oracle included. That woman pulled him into embraces, so many times, pretending to be his ancient ally, the Mage while tampering with his sight and power! Ten years ago, when she had every chance on her side, the only reason why she was stopped was her over-certitude and a moment of weakness, which the guardians managed to take advantage of. Pure luck."

Orube lowered her gaze. She had heard this story; it had long reached Basilíade and many other realms around the Universe. The story of the traitress and ex-guardian, and her dangerous conquests... Word is, that she had even managed to raise her once fellow guardian from the grave...But still, teacher Luba expected too much of her. Orube couldn't see herself participating in a dishonest situation, which the current was, with her coming to Kandrakar, secretly, during the Oracle's absolute meditation... Was her teacher on a right track or was she giving in to vices, such as old pangs of jealousy and bitterness?

Deep in her soul, the feline knew that betraying her old friends, the WITCH girls was out of the question. But her teacher kept insisting:

"Orube, years ago, when you decided to abdicate to Basilíade in a search of yourself, I supported you. When you wanted to leave Kandrakar and search cure for your aching heart, despite having worked so hard to get where you were, I said yes. Now I'm asking you to do something for me and for the better good of the entire Council. Orube, you're an intelligent being, you must understand the tribulation which we're to face with someone like that woman among our ranks! Kandrakar is the ultimate center of Infinity and Fortress of Weal. Not a correction facility of any sort."

Orube kept silent, observing the emotions dancing on Luba's face. She was longing for justice...But was that justice for the good of everyone or was it for the young, betrayed warrior in her? The revenge of the unreleased guardian was demanding and cruel, but Orube knew better than to deny it straightforwardly. The iron is to be forged when hot, but not when melting...

"I will go to Earth. I will request access to my old identity and house there, and I will spend more time around the girls and this Nerissa."- she said in the end. "But only for intelligence purposes. I will not do anything without being given a reason to. I'm a warrior, teacher. I'm _not_ a mercenary."

* * *

When Susan strolled in the supermarket wearing a dark pink headscarf and a pair of sunglasses, terrified by the fact that she might get recognized after the humiliation she had lived to, it was already late in the afternoon. It was not like her to lack confidence and pride when out in the public. But this last year had just turned her life around completely- the once confident and self-aware woman, that she was, was now emotionally broken and drained.

She had come to pick a few groceries and go. She needed all the rest she could get before having to face all the trials and tribulations which Tony had left her to deal with yet again.

_Tony_...She shook her head. One has to only talk good of the dead. Either good or nothing at all. Regardless... That corpse that had been found at his old place, the fact that she and her daughter had to now face the consequences for something which they had nothing to do with, was more than embittering. Embittering and confusing. It was all up to themselves and their friends now. They had to overcome this challenge and prove their innocence. There was no other way.

Upon getting thrown into the arrest for almost three days, Susan had decided to send her younger son, William, off to Dean's parents' place, out of Heatherfield. The little boy needed not see the entire city point fingers at his mother and younger sister. But even with that, Susan needed to get a few snacks from the supermarket. She wasn't planning on going out all that much from now on. Not until her name was clear again.

Strolling around the aisles, she got the things which she needed as quickly as possible and headed for the checkouts. Her cart was relatively full, she needed to pay for everything and get to her car.

It was a straight and easy wrap up of her running her errands. Yes, everything would've been peaceful and easy. If only someone had shouted after her, attracting an entire mass of attention. Attention which she hadn't wanted to draw, especially now...

"Hey! Stop right there! _Murderer_! Get the murderer!"

Susan was shocked to hear that. When she turned around, she saw them approach. A crowd of angry people, circling her all of a sudden. All of a sudden, the supermarket was a battlefield. A gladiatorial arena... And the gladiator being shamed for edification and punishment was she.

"Susan Vandom, Heatherfield is no place for people like you!"- the lady that had started shouted again. "Vandom down! Vandom down!"

"What do you think? That you can murder innocent Samaritans and then pay off to get away with it?"- another man yelled. "Oh, no, Mrs. Vandom! If the law can't, society will punish you!"

"Excuse me?!"- but Susan's shock and outrage were quick to morph into utter bewilderment. A grave feeling overtook her chest when she saw them. The tomatoes. The angry crowd that had surrounded her took tomatoes out of their shopping carts and baskets.

And so the spectacle was on her account. Her fate and this public punishment that she failed to comprehend. Susan Collins was a proud woman, but in that situation, she had no choice. She screamed and raised her hands to protect her face, as the angry citizens roared while throwing tomatoes at her. Relentlessly, again and again. Her lynching was humiliating, not painful. She fell to the ground...

"What the..."- Chen Lin and his wife, Joan, happened to be at that supermarket at the same time. They were just emerging from the bakery section when they witnessed the ugly scene. "Isn't that..."

"Oh, my God, Chen! That's Susan! Susan Vandom!"- his wife gasped at the moment in which one tomato pushed Susan's glasses off her face... "We have to do something!"

She didn't need to repeat herself. Her husband was already running forward, abandoning their grocery cart.

"Stop it! STOP IT! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"- Chen screamed and shielded the fallen woman with his back, pushing one flying tomato away with his palm. "Stop it, you insane sheep!"

"Security! Security do something!"- Joan cried, kneeling down to Susan's level. She then turned to glare at the crowd, who had stopped the lynching at this point. "What's wrong with you people?!"- Chen pushed his glasses back. "Susan, Susan are you alright?"

"Susan, we'll help you!"- Joan added with concern. "Come on, let's get out of here! Shame on all of you! Rude barbarians!"- she added, aiming her reproach at the attackers.

Susan could just nod, helplessly, struggling to gather all her confidence and pride that she had just been stripped off. Her humiliation couldn't get bigger...The security guards were approaching the scene, hence her attackers started to scat. But what did it matter? They had already done what they had been here for. They had degraded her...

At the other end of the supermarket, behind the automatic doors, Jessie Alexis narrowed his eyelids at the scene.

_The Lins... They had to come now, didn't they? Everyone in this city is nosy and obnoxious._ Jessie snorted, going out in the winter evening air. _No problem, though_, he thought to himself with a growing smirk. _Hold on tight, Susan Vandom. Your friends won't be there to save you in each and every moment, no...You got but a taste of my revenge today. You and your daughter will never forget me, once I'm done with you. Once I'm done with you, you'll be too left with just that. Memories. You're a challenging case, you have all these people to shield you, but that won't help you forevermore. Because I adore a challenge._

* * *

**Orube joins the cast with a mission of her own. And the new cop Jessie Alexis's true colors are starting to show up. Who is he? And why does he despise the Vandoms? The Condo Corpse case is about to distract the guardians, but for how long? Stay tuned. **


	24. A Crack in the Heart

**Chapter 24: A Crack in the Heart**

_"Sometimes, the heart will break, but broken live on. Live on with its cracks and scars, in hope to beat whole once more..."  
__  
_

* * *

Dark magic has many forms and reincarnations. It can sow death and annihilation from near and far. It can change forms and forge fates in an unnatural, dark, and twisted manner. Black sorcery truly has unlimited powers, Phobos Escanor knew, hence he had been drawn to it since his earliest years. The Prince had always been naturally prone to it. His magic resembled the darkness- so different from his mother's light, from the Light of Meridian itself, but still so very strong. True, Phobos's magic needed a lot of stolen life force and sacrifices, but he didn't mind. Those who despised him and robbed him of what he deserved to have _deserved_ annihilation.

Now, years after he had started practicing black sorcery, his abilities knew almost no borders and horizons. He could alternate the subjects of his striving even from behind the walls of his coercive shelter.

Taking his hands down, he closed his eyes and when he turned to her again, there was a contended grin gracing his cold features.

"Is the deed done?"- Leonida asked. She was on pins and needles.

Phobos cocked an eyebrow. He couldn't fully understand as to why his companion and love interest was so willing to have her mother undone. After all, they had many other things to attend to, finding the proper loop in the situation they had gotten themselves into, included. Being under royal watch and under that of Kandrakar, seriously clashed with their agenda, but thankfully, they had already developed a new strategy. Time was of special importance. Patience was needed, and Phobos hated the idea of being in the wait. However, even though patience was bitter, its fruits were to be sweet. Reminding himself of that, the Evil Prince saw no reason to deny Leonida's wish.

His own parents had treated him in a fashion similar to Magana and Andan's ways. They had met with a tragic end because of it. On that basis, the Prince could relate to the enchantress's desire to be avenged.

"It is done."- Phobos confirmed. "I told you the essence of my black roses is to be admired. I have complete control over the souls trapped in these beautiful flowers, they've adorned and protected my castle, against their will, for years. I find it quite amusing because people tend to say that I've never created anything of particular beauty; they don't get my style, you see... Anyhow, as I said, I control my roses, wherever I am. Sooner or later, they all wither. I just had to speed up that process for your mother till I no longer sensed the beating of her fragile _chlorophyll heart_. Congratulations, my squeeze. Queen Magana is no more."

Leonida's lips stretched into such a wide smile, as she had just been told the most fabulous news. And in actuality, that was what these words were for her. Her secrets would remain forever safe. Her mother had taken them with her to the grave...

"Thank you, Phobos."- the blonde went in his embrace and wrapped her arms around his slender waist.

Phobos responded with a surprising amount of gentleness, as he held her closely, yet carefully, keeping her still quite flat stomach safe.

He really had started to develop a particular set of feelings. _Marvelous._

At that point, Leonida didn't even care whether Kandrakar or anyone else of their watchers had witnessed Magana's liquidation. The important thing was that she could no longer pose a threat to her and her future intentions...

_I'm sorry, mommy_, the ex-princess pondered in her head. _You've already done enough evil to me. Your own daughter... Your treachery and threats no longer matter because you're out of the picture. And I? Oh, I am yet to begin painting._

* * *

Daltar exhaled in relief and wiped his forehead. It had been challenging, but he had succeeded. Now he just had to wait.

It was a chilly, windy night in Meridian, his seventh spent in the Mage tower. The Mage herself had given him a mission, and tonight he was quite sure he had completed it. All he had to do now was wait for her arrival- he had already activated the notifying card she had given him.

When the water in the tall jade-colored vase had stirred uncontrollably and all of a sudden, awakening the gardener, he had known it was time to act. Thank God for that water from the lakes near Heli... It was sure to alarm each time something was to happen with the plant submerged in it.

Even though the man was quite drawn into his own thoughts, he barely blenched once the tall figure appeared in the room, all of a sudden. He had called for her, after all. The completion of his special mission meant that he could leave the premises of this tower and return to his home.

"Good evening, Mage."- the royal gardener dropped a curtsy. "I called you here with two news. A good and a bad one. My mission-; the mission you gave me was crowned with success."

"Indeed? Good to hear, Daltar."- Nerissa moved towards the man in her shall. "Do tell more."

Her lips danced in a small, quite _narcissistic_ smile, if Daltar had to express an opinion, which he didn't, hence he just went on:

"I've used the demigod shears and all my gardening gifts, just like you asked. Tonight, Phobos finally tried to use his influence on the rose, I suspect he wanted it destroyed. I've seen him do it so many times... I used the demigod shears and pruned the flower of the connection to his dark spell. He no longer has influence over this rose."

"Excellent."- Nerissa approved with a smirk, as she approached the big table and took the black rose in her hands. It looked almost deplorable by now. "So, the brat really does have ultimate control over these black roses of his. Impressive. Who would've thought that he is capable of creating something for a change, instead of destroying. Even with the irony of tonight, he was able to create the curse of the black roses."

"To be fair, I helped him realize that sick dream of his, even if against my will. And I am ashamed of it."- the gardener sighed. "But the bad news is that we can use these shears to free the remaining black roses around the realm, only if the tyrant decides to pursue his control over them. Like he did with this one tonight... Queen Elyon's magic couldn't turn back all of the cursed people, transformed into roses. She only managed to cure my family, for they had been bewitched before I helped hone the curse. Therefore, I'm afraid that the same is in power for that person you're holding. Phobos is the only one who can undo his curse."

Nerissa didn't seem tоo bothered by that. She turned to the man again and shook her head, her bedazzling tresses flowing around her face like the night waters of Magjenzian falls:

"Oh, I'm aware of that, Daltar. I know that even the Heart of Meridian cannot lift empirical curses like that of Phobos's roses. But what I do find particularly soothing, is the fact that he and his deranged enchantress no longer have this special trump card. The knowledge which Magana hid from me the last time is of major importance to her prodigal daughter."

At this point, she was no longer talking to the man as much as she was pondering out loud. Nerissa turned around once again, this time facing the doors of the tower.

"And that knowledge won't be lost with the demise of this flower like Leonida wanted. It will be _choicely_ taken care of, from now on. I will make sure to preserve Magana's life, because one day, that misleading matron will be of benefit _to me_."

* * *

_**Heatherfield**_

"Will, how are you feeling?"

Will opened her eyes tiredly and saw Hay Lin and Yan Lin surrounding her bed. She sat up and rubbed her hand with a grunt. What time was it? Why was she still here? Ugh! She suddenly remembered. The reason why she hadn't been thrilled to stay in her mother's house with Dean...

"Have some tea, Will."- Yan Lin suggested warmly as she placed the tray she carried on the nightstand. "You must also eat something; you don't look too well."

"I'm fine."- Will assured them, trying to ignore the sharp pain she suddenly felt in her stomach.

_Gag_, just looking at the breakfast she wanted to throw up...

"I'm very grateful to you, guys. All of you, but I already told you. I'm not going crazy just yet. I'm just out of sorts...And this entire condo corpse drama made it worse... All I need is to get back on my feet and I'll be as good as new."

But Hay Lin didn't even want to hear about it. She gently blocked her friend from leaving the bed and seated herself next to her. Yan Lin smiled and plopped the teacup in the redhead's hands.

"Will, no! Don't be silly. We know you've been through a lot and you need the pampering and the rest now, OK? Sit back and let's eat!"

Will sighed. Ever since being released from custody, her friends had been taking turns staying in Susan's house with her. If only she wasn't so oddly groggy all the time, she would've long ended this nonsense by now! They were treating her as she was sick, which she wasn't. At least not literally. She was, however, sick of all the drama and problems she was going through and a daily basis. And the fact that she spent the majority of her time since getting on bail, in sleeping, infuriated her.

Her mother was probably out and about, dealing with their problems and the case they were sure going to have to attend in court, at some point. Matt had been helping Dean's family with William for a week now while juggling with his work and gigs. Her friends were all around her, making sure she's doing fine, helping out with all they could, and what was she doing? She was simply sleeping, like some darn bear!

Determined to make a change for the better, Will dried up her tea and then busied herself with Yan Lin's pancakes. Yan Lin, herself, stood by her side, observing her eat with approval and contend.

"Umm, Mrs. Lin? Shouldn't you be going back to the Dragon? And you, Hay, don't you have lectures? I appreciate you two being here, I really do, but I'm sure that I can take the rest of my day by myself now."- the redhead said cautiously. "I am in a desperate need of a shower. Then I have to get the details on the entire corpse in our condo mayhem. Also, the pet store isn't- "

"Matt has the store under control, Will, don't worry."- the Air guardian stopped her softly. "Besides, he and your mom _especially_ asked me to be with you today. You're unwell, you know! You might even suffer depression if we don't take this a step at a time-"

"Woah."- Will threw the bedsheets off herself in a moment of outrage. "Depression? Unwell? I'm perfectly fine, what crap! Matt is just paranoid and my mother is over-protective, you know how they are!"- and the guardian finally managed to stand up, only to find out she was suddenly dizzy. "Just because I'm going through a rough phase, doesn't mean that I'm falling apart! At least you two know that I've been through much worse and I've always managed it. Relax."

"Will, dear."- Yan Lin interjected. "I'm happy that you're now feeling better, but you slept for more than 24 hours. You shouldn't jump on your feet so suddenly. You have to take it lightly."

_24 hours?!_ What the heck, was she suddenly turning into a bear for real? Or was she close to some godawful cursed Meridian writing? Whatever it was, she couldn't allow herself sloth like that.

"I've been fatigue and overstressed, but I'm better now, really. I'm going to put myself in order."

With one last look of her haggard appearance in the standing mirror, Will headed for the guest bathroom. What she needed was a quick, but reviving bath to get back to a normal regime.

"Something is off with her, grandma, I can just feel it."- Hay Lin said. "And it's not just that, our investigation hasn't been going with flying colors so far. Will shouldn't find out about the new evidence before we've found contra evidence..."

"Hay Lin."- her grandmother interrupted her softly. "Sometimes we want to protect our friends and families from too many things, forgetting that they're adults and fully capable of handling many situations with dignity and success. You and the girls are noble for what you're doing, but Will deserves to be a part of your investigation and know the truth. She will find out, sooner or later, that the court now has evidence making her late father main suspect in the case. It might as well be better if she heard it from her friends."

Hay Lin seemed hesitant when she stood up from the bed and proceeded to make it with a worried look on her face.

"But her mental state..."

"I don't think that what Will's going through is so much about her mental state."- Yan Lin voiced her opinion.

Her granddaughter turned to look at her in perplexity.

"Then what is it about, grandma?"

"I'm not saying anything with certainty, my little Hay Lin. But I do notice this to be the second morning she wakes up and goes straight to throwing up."

Hearing that, Hay Lin gasped, for she, just like her grandmother, suddenly heard it, thanks to their power. The sound of vomiting behind the guest bathroom door.

The Air guardian met the former Air guardian's eyes in a shocked glance:

"B-but grandma! Oh, my God... Do you think that she might be- "

"I think you should convince her to see a doctor, granddaughter. As soon as possible."

* * *

"Gracious, Orube! Of course, you can stay in Mrs. Rudolph's house again, for as long as you plan to be in Heatherfield!"- Taranee exclaimed, overwhelmed by the fact that she had just bumped into an old friend, for the first time in years.

Orube, who went as Rebecca Rudolph on Earth, had remained pretty much the same. With her dark bob of hair and a set of casual clothes that she apparently had from before, and even Taranee had to admit looked quite old-fashioned. But that wasn't what was important.

The true joy the Fire guardian had felt when seeing the warrior was connected to the many, dear memories they had made with each other. The fact that Orube was now once again on Earth was both exciting and overwhelming- the girls hadn't heard from her for almost 9 years now.

"Thanks, Tara."- the Basilíadian said gratefully, placing her hand on the other woman's knee.

They were sitting on a bench in the park. It was cold but sunny and since she had bumped into the feline near "Hannah Baker" park, Taranee had decided that they could as well sit and talk there.

"I hope you don't mind me asking that, but what brings you to Heatherfield?"- the Fire guardian asked amicably. "I mean after those romantic disappointments and that man's death- "

Taranee stopped and licked her lips cautiously. She knew this was a delicate topic she had just raised- it had also been the reason for Orube's dolor and abdication to her home planet all these years ago. A man who she had been in love with had lost his life in an unfair tragedy, breaking Orube's heart and newfound trust in feelings.

But apparently, time had healed a great part of that wound, because Orube replied, almost without a trace of misery:

"Time made me realize that tragedies shouldn't stop us from living our lives to the fullest. I've spent years in being a devoted warrior of Kandrakar and my planet, now I decided that I should spare some time for myself and my personal life. The truth, Taranee, is that I liked it here in Heatherfield. I had friends, a job, romantic interests... I miss these days. That is why I decided to come back here and give life among humans another try. If you and the other girls are going to be concordant with that- "

"Orube, what are you talking about! Of course!"- Taranee exclaimed. "Having you back in Heatherfield will be a breath of fresh air for all of us! We have so much catching up to do, too! With all the problems we've been having lately, a girls' night will do us wonders! Hey, we can have it at Mrs. Rudolph's house, tonight, once you've moved in!"

The warrior listened to her old friend's excited talking with a growing smile. She had to admit all that did sound lovely and she was indeed looking forward to meeting the rest of the guardians again after 8 and a half years. They had probably all matured into beautiful young women, just like Taranee. Being honest with herself, Orube was actually taken aback by how fast time on Earth went by...

Then she remembered her ulterior goal and gloomed a tad.

_If only I wasn't deceiving you...I wonder whether you're all going to be as friendly with me if you get to know._

Yes, coming to live in Heatherfield after so much time again was part of her cover story. She was here to gather intelligence for her teacher's bitter heart. But the more she thought about it, the more the actual idea of starting a life in this city again, appealed to her.

_Who knows_, Orube thought as she laughed together with Taranee at a joke she hadn't exactly heard. She was too immersed in her own thoughts. I_ might even fall in love again...Heatherfield is a place with magic of its own!_

* * *

" ''Lair on the Air'' sounds from your devices today, thanks to our many, wonderful sponsors! A word from them, you'll hear in the commercial break! Don't forget that you can tune in to our online station, as well! Martin is always online, ready for you guys! Now a word from our sponsors, don't go away, after the commercial break we're gonna be hearing Matt Olsen's newest hit-single 'Years and Up'! ''Lair on the Air'' for you! You already know all the competition is canceled, honey!"

Having said her last line, Irma tossed her curly ponytail back and went into commercial break, turning her microphone off and ending her live broadcast.

Once she stood up, getting ready to exit the recording area, she saw Cornelia in a white crop top and white high-waisted pants, standing in the other side of the modern studio.

"That's your new slogan? _''The competition is canceled, honey'_'? Talk about a lack of creativity."

"What do you want, Corny?"- Irma smirked sourly. "We're the station with the highest ratings in Heatherfield and the area, and that's all that matters! That includes online. So, what's with you and your son coming here all of a sudden?"- and she gestured at the high-end stroller, Cornelia was holding onto.

Cornelia, in her turn, made a face and playfully pinched the Latina:

"Ouch!"

"Don't tell me you forgot, Irmy!"- she taunted. "We made plans to go and dig around that jackass Jessie Alexis today! We're going to follow him, remember?"

"I do remember!"- Irma snapped. "We have to get to the bottom of what's with this guy giving Will and Susan such a hard time over seemingly nothing."

"Then?"

"I meant why is Killian here, he can't come with us! Don't you have like 20 nannies at your disposal? In the face of your lovely relatives, that is."

At that, Cornelia just snorted under her nose and flipped her long, today also wavy, hair.

Some things never change, even with adolescence and years, Irma smirked as she watched her friend do her trademark move, she had been doing ever since elementary school.

"Don't get me started on them! I need them one day and nobody is available! Nerissa decided to vanish off to somewhere without saying a thing!"

"Knowing her, she's probably standing in front of Phobos and Leonida's home arrest place, huffing and puffing like the Big Bad Wolf who wants to blow the house away and get them pigs."- Irma cracked a joke, which Cornelia paid no attention to, going on with her rant:

"Julian and Caleb are working, and so is my dad, of course. My mom has an exhibition today and Mrs. Lin was somewhere down the _cheap_ side of town, where my son shouldn't be! All the other girls are busy, Will's a mess- "

"What about your grandma?"- Irma interrupted her.

"She's getting her botox done in Midgale."- Cornelia rolled her eyes. "Won't be back until they tuck that turkey neck in, nice and smooth, too. So, there's that. She's having a week devoted to cosmetic surgery."

Irma tried not to bat an eye at that, but her expression had undoubtedly twisted:

"Gee, your grandmother is crazy, have you heard? You're getting it all from her, I know! Harold and Liz are such nice people, you're just Vera 2, the Socialite of Socialites-"

"Whatever, Irma, we don't have time for you to be extra lame!"- Cornelia almost yelled and then cringed, realizing she and Irma so very often behaved like they were still 14.

But then again, to a serious extent, their relations would most probably forever remain like that.

"So what do you suggest, that we carry him with us?! He might be turning 5 months-old soon, but I'm pretty certain he won't take a 'shut-up' command seriously, even if we're right behind Alexis! No matter how smart you claim your kid is, Corny, he's a baby and-"

"I haven't even thought of taking him along, would you stop blabbing! We're going to leave him here! With Martin. I'm sure they'll be fine."

"Woah."- Martin showed his head from his office. "As much as I'd love to, this is a place of business. Diapers and radio don't mix up. Besides, I'm not ready to-"

"Were you eavesdropping on us, Martin."- Irma interrupted him, unimpressed.

"Uh, no... But you still have your mic attached and it's on, sugarplum."- Martin grinned in response and got ready to return to his work.

"Huh."- Irma snorted under her nose, looking down at the device on her ample chest." Then I guess I'm thrilled that I told you all about Kandrakar months ago, cuz I would've totally screwed over by now, thanks to all your gear, you n-"

Annoyed with the wasting of potential time, Cornelia stepped on Irma's foot, making her squeal. Then she took Killian out of his stroller, snuggling him close to her face:

"Nevertheless, Martin, neither of us has a choice."- the blonde declared in an intolerable to objections tone." Killian will stay with you for a while, but don't worry, he'll be an angel! Isn't that right, my cutie?"- she cooed, ignoring the man's reluctance. "You'll be a good boy for uncle Martin, won't you? Oh, yes you will! Yes, you will!"

* * *

**_Coronia_**

Ungraced for months, the realm of Coronia and its capital, at most, kept losing more and more of their brilliance, like a pearl sinking deeper and deeper into the ocean.

Almost 9 weeks had passed ever since the Wisdom and Beauty of the kingdom, in the face of Queen Magana, had been taken away. Almost 9 weeks in which her son had been desperate to save the prodigious lands of their kingdom- the planet with all its provinces, culture and riches. Andan hadn't managed to do much but observe losses. Up until his mother had left him all alone, he had had no idea how tiresome and hard it was to rule with honesty and grace... But Andan also knew that it wasn't all up to him and his values. Coronia was a Queendom. A man could hardly ever sit on the throne without failing in any way or matter. It was clearly stated in the constitution of the realm...

"Collect the taxes and give compensation to those who've lost property in recent weeks. May the villages around the eternal river receive more. The people there aren't that rich, and last week's flood ruined a lot of their produce."- the young man gave last orders to the royal tax-collector and his group of men.

They all nodded humbly as they made their way out of the Throne Room, accompanied by Visser, who gave the prince one last small of reassurance. For Gold's sake, if it wasn't for this man, Andan was surely going to collapse these days. Visser was a jewel of a retainer...

"Not that rich? Andan, the people there earn more in a month than the majority of Meridian city people do in three!"- Elyon exclaimed. She had seated herself close to her fiancé, dressed in a long, royal garment in yellow. Her crown shone at the lights of the blinding room.

"Elyon, dear, that's true, but the fact that Coronia has hundreds of times more funds than Meridian is indisputable."

"Still, you have got to stop spoiling them! Are you sure that your mother provided everything and everyone with so much gold and diamonds?"

"She did much more."- Andan sighed. "She knew how to maintain the balance, Elyon. I don't...The people of our world are used to having abundance and luxury, yet that has never spoiled or corrupted them in any way, shape or form so far...That is what the good ruler can do and I can't... This is why you must marry me sooner."

Elyon sighed as well when she heard that. Her mind was traveling to Phobos and Leonida all the time, anyway, to Galgheita and her fate... And even though that by now, she liked Andan a lot, no she could even say she_ loved_ him; the entire idea of wearing two crowns worried her.

"I thought that by now you've got that one thing about me. I'm not a good ruler."- she smiled dismally. "As for our wedding, I'm looking forward to it. Spending time with you helped me overcome so much pain and the terrible loneliness... But we already said that we are to wed in spring..."

"You underestimate yourself again"- the prince argued softly. "Your people are lucky to have you. You saved them from darkness, you're their light- both literally and figuratively. Ever since you came to reign, fear, famine and social decline have come to an end. I've done nothing and I'll never be able to do anything better than marry a true-born Queen like you."

"Well, that was pretty easy, I just gave people access to their paid jobs, grain and harvestables, unlike Phobos who kept them in total misery. It's not like I've led Meridian to unimaginable heights or anything... I'm not that great at all."

"No you're not. You're phenomenal. In every possible way one can be, Elyon."- and the prince popped out a single purple magnolia from his shirt, tenderly placing it in the young woman's hair. "You're just too humble to believe it."

Elyon smiled. Even if his compliments were way too pompous at times, she adored them. Especially that side of him which didn't insist when it was obvious, she was thinking about other things. Like with the wedding, for example. Andan was a gentleman. Realizing how very special he is, Elyon was asking herself as to why wasn't she his wife already. But it was just that. An inner emotion. She would know when she was ready. She _had_ to know.

It was then when the sound of a child scream was heard. Elyon instantly perked up, but Andan remained unbothered. And why would he bother? His sister's monstrous child had probably fallen again. The little brat spent his days running through the Palace, practically plotting his next mischief. Andan snorted and went to the next page of his tax book.

"I'm going to check up on Dua."- Elyon announced.

"Sit sedately, he probably scratched his knees while romping."- Andan tried to talk her out of it. "One of the nannies will surely tend to his needs. Before you know it, he's on his feet again, running to somewhere else. Will possibly break a vase or two on the go."

Magana's love for Dua had been grand. His wasn't. In fact, he barely even had sympathy for Leonida's little beast.

"I think I'll still go check on him."- Elyon smiled. "Just for my own reassurance. I'll be right back."

Her fiancé shrugged and busied himself with royal administrative work. Yes, Dua was his nephew, but he had never felt him close. If Leonida could forget her family relations and destroy both of their parents, then why did he have to take care of her little bastard?

The Aerate Edifice seemed just as huge and misleading as in the beginning, in spite of the fact that Elyon had already been here quite a few times. She made her way through the endless corridors, encrusted with rhinestones, gold and platinum, trying to determine where exactly the young boy's cry had come from. It hadn't come exactly from his room, had it? No, she knew where the boy's room was very well. His cry had sounded from a more hollow place, somewhere behind a hollow wall or something of the sort...

"Dua?"- Elyon concentrated on him and used her powers.

It was a powerful, but easy spell for someone of her descent- in the next intermission of her eyelids, she found herself standing in front of a dead-end corridor, strangely dim in comparison to the rest of the Palace. It was then when Elyon realized that a heavy door had suddenly appeared on the wall...

"Dua, how did you get here, sweetie? And what...what is this- "- Elyon didn't have the chance to finish. She had found the prince behind the odd door, but what she had found him in had her tongue-tied.

This unnatural build-in, hidden room that the young prince had stumbled across, was not larger than her old room back in Heatherfield, but the way it was built in and decorated had an eerie vibe to it.

Elyon walked past the child, who had long calmed down- apparently, he had tripped over at the threshold. He was fine, but now that she was here, Elyon couldn't remove her eyes from the hidden chamber. The walls were dark and many of them were covered in strange paintings and scripture written in an unknown language.

Among all the strange parchments and books on the bookshelves, there were also other puzzling for Elyon objects, such as crystals, candles and something that smelled very sharp. Incense? Rosemary and garlic? She couldn't know, what she did know, however, was that this room was very atypical in the background of everything else in this palace. For heaven's sake, it looked more like her brother's creation than any of the other Coronian architectural luxuries.

But the most eye-catching thing was the peculiar, shapeless statue in the center of the premises. It was about 5 feet tall, altar-like bust with no particular shape or form, but still, disturbing for some reason.

Why is this room so different from everything else in Andan's castle, Elyon couldn't help but ask herself. What is its purpose and what does it hide...

"Grandma forbade me from coming here on my own-"- Dua called from behind.

Elyon blenched and turned around. For a second, she had forgotten about the child.

"- but I wanted to get my corn doll."- the prince murmured, keeping his head lowered. "It used to be my mom's. Please, don't tell."

Elyon, who was still dumbfounded by the room she was in, could only nod and smile weakly at the little boy and the small toy he was holding.

"It's OK, Dua. You can go play now."

"No, I can't leave you here alone."- the boy shook his head in fear as if she had just suggested he spends the night all alone in the woods.

"What? Why not?"

"Because, then the door will disappear and you'll be stuck here. This is a very special door. Once, a servant followed me and grandma here, but we didn't see him. Then we had to go because it was bedtime. We found the servant days later."

"Where's that servant now..."

The boy shrugged, further confirming Elyon's worst suspicions. She looked around herself.

"But Dua, what's so special about this room that your grandma had it secured with spells... Why can only you two enter it?"

"No, grandma can't enter it without me."- Dua objected. "I'm the only one who can make the door appear."- he then pointed at the door behind himself and shrugged again. "I don't know. Grandma says this room is a special place where me and her get to bond. We come here and she writes in her diary while I play with different toys. But..."- suddenly Dua didn't appear as eager to tell her more. His little face twisted in a nervous, almost fearful expression. "I shouldn't tell anyone about this. It's our little secret. I only told you, because you're going to be the new Queen...Please, don't tell grandma I did."

Elyon had heard enough to feel shivers run down her spine. She had gone through this when she had been quite older than Dua and had still been fooled. But from her current position, she could see right through the entire bonding room story. There was something dark and wrong in this hidden space and the way the young prince had been brainwashed...But what for? What was the purpose?

"Don't worry, Dua."- she managed to smile weakly, her eyes pinned on the enchanted door. "It wasn't your fault that you told me. I happen to be quite persuasive."

* * *

Mrs. Rudolph's old house remained unchanged. After a little dusting and an opened bottle of wine, it was all ready to house the very next girls' night for W.I.T.C.H and Orube. Together again, after almost nine years.

Taranee had completely undertaken the emprise of preparing a home-made dinner for this special event. She had also been the one to call the rest of the girls without specifying. She wanted Orube's return to be a surprise and she wanted to accompany that special surprise with good food and wine.

After all the drama and the things each and every one of them had been and was still going through, in the past few weeks and months, they needed this quality time.

She had already prepared the salads and was now busy with baking the fish.

Her dark hair was unbraided for the first time in a while and just slightly wavy, gathered in a high messy bun. Taranee was ecstatic to make Orube's return a memorable event. What she didn't know, however, was that fate had other events in store for that very evening.

"Tara, you won't believe it!"- it was Cornelia who had barged into the house like a storm, startling Taranee so much that she almost dropped the glass pot on the ground.

"Guys, what are you doing here so early? I said 7:30!"- she whined when a breathless Irma lined up with the blonde.

"There's no time to lose, Taranee, Alexis is the biggest dick!"- the water guardian spat. "And no, I'm not saying it in the _complimentary_ meaning of the phrase-"

"Hey, what's with the feast, I thought we were going to have a quick dinner and watch a movie or something."- Cornelia had noticed all the food behind Taranee, who had desperately tried to hide it with her body.

It was of no use. Her surprise was already ruined. The guest of honor would most probably appear any minute now too, having heard the commotion. But the mentioning of the sketchy police inspector took the focus away from all that, making Taranee inquisitive:

"Jessie Alexis? You've been snooping around him? Alone? We were supposed to go all together! What did you find? Any proof that he's trying to defame Will and her mom? Did you find something about his agenda?"

"If you count the fact that he tried to_ shoot_ us as proof!"

"What? He saw you?! Oh, no, now we're screwed- "

Irma was getting feisty over what she had just gone through and Taranee was about to panic due to the possible worsening of the case, but Cornelia, being the coyest and most composed amid the three, interrupted:

"We were glamoured, and despite Irma's ghastly disguise, there's no way he recognized us. He aimed his gun at us once he realized we're eavesdropping on his conversation, but before that, we managed to make out partial things which he was saying."

"Things? Things like what?"

"Things like: 'everything's going according to plan' and 'his name is in the case, just like you wanted.'. He was totally reporting to someone about his progress on the Vandom case!"- Irma folded her arms with a huff. "Someone's pulling his strings!"

"Wait."- Taranee eyed them. "How do you know he was talking about the Vandom case, with certainty? And once he spotted you, how did you escape?"

"Because he said ''the Vandom case". How many Vandoms do you think he's dealing with in Heatherfield?"

"His case isn't clean, Taranee, he's obviously a corrupt cop. Irma and I were talking about it: Don't you think it's strange that Tom got transferred unwillingly just now and then that prick came in his place? Oh, our grand escape? Let's just say that I've been meaning to punch him in the face ever since I met him."- Cornelia also crossed her arms with a spark of smugness in her eyes. "I got my shot at it and I loved it."

Taranee leaned against Galgheita's old stove, sinking into thoughts.

"It's not good to draw his attention, girls. Not before the case is over... Even if at first sight he can't pin it on us, that man has his ways. We have to investigate him without direct confrontation. God, I knew that he'll use my mother's words and he did, he's-"

"Don't you think that there's something more important to discuss right now?"- Irma rolled her eyes. "Like who the hell is Alexis doing all this for! Who's his boss and what their problem with Will and Susan? Whose corpse was found in their condo?"

"I hate to admit it, but Irma makes a valid point."- Cornelia looked up at Taranee. "We have to do more than avoid confrontation, Taranee. More than just uncover Alexis's boss's motive."

"More?"

"Yes."- the blonde declared with certainty. "We have to find out the truth behind that body they found. Regardless if Tony had something to do with it or not. We have to give the case a push in the right direction. In one way or another."

Just when Taranee was meaning to explain to her friend the gravity of certain laws and interfering with them, she saw herself forced to stop and bring her hands to her temples. Suddenly, she had felt this numb pain accompanied by a grinding sound in her head...

"Taranee?"- Irma shot her a worried look. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."- Taranee shook her head. "I think I'm getting something. A thought. A very unchanneled and chaotic one."

"Like a message?"-Cornelia exclaimed. "From whom?"

Taranee barely managed to nod and raise her palm to ask for a moment of silence, still trying to make out the different words, the buzz of which she was currently hearing in her head. The worst such experience she had had as a telepathist, had been back when the ex-guardians and Elyon had tried to contact her without any harmony from the Scepter of Phobos. But that had happened many years ago. By now, the fire guardian had improved her telepathy skills to a much greater extent and she could tell that whenever she was getting an unclear message, it was mostly because the one sending it failed to channel their emotions and powers.

But ''news are known to travel fast'', is not a saying created in vain. Before Taranee could even make out the meanings of her message, Matthew Olsen was already pursuing his. A text message, in particular, one sent by their friend Hay Lin, and one that had made him abandon everything and rush to the hospital with accelerated pulse.

He was nervous, yet euphoric. He was sure that what was to follow would be for the best. What he didn't know, however, was that he was in for something much more unnerving and upsetting...

"Excuse me? I'm here for Will Vandom."- he uttered breathlessly once he reached the reception.

The woman behind the desk gave him the information, he thanked her in a hurry and headed for the room where his girlfriend had been accommodated.

Matt barely found the patience to put on a pair of nylons before barging in Will's room. He had so many questions and emotions boiling in him. The emotions connected to parenthood, the first-born child- a big change that was to come in their life, and, of course, the big surprise all this was. They hadn't planned on having a baby, it had just happened, much like it had happened with their friends, Cornelia and Caleb. But Matt knew, even though it was a big surprise, he would love his child and be the best father he could possibly be. After all, he loved Will with all his heart and this baby was the result of their long-term romance.

"Excuse me, sir, you can't enter. Not yet."- Matt gawked when one middle-aged doctor practically pulled him back right at the door. "Ms. Vandom is still under anesthesia. Are you family?"

"I'm the father of her child."- the young man specified, giving the doctor a side glare. What was this guy even talking about? Wasn't it obvious who he was? "But I don't understand, why is she under anesthesia? Our friend told me that Will felt rather unwell today and hence she came here where her pregnancy was discovered. Everything with her and the baby is fine, though? Right?"

His voice came out unwittingly thin at that part. Just observing the doctor's expression made Matt unrestful.

"Yes, sir, that was what happened initially, but later on the situation escalated and we had to perform a gastric lavage and surgery. There were high levels of methanol and glycerol in her blood, and given the fact that Ms. Vandom had a cryptic pregnancy, we had to act fast."

"Wait, what? You mean to tell me that she was poisoned? Surgery?!"- Matt exclaimed in shock. He couldn't wrap his mind around what he had just heard. It made no sense. "And cryptic pregnancy? What is that supposed to mean?"

"A cryptic pregnancy occurs seldom, but when it does, it usually means that the mother goes through her gestation with minimal symptoms and external changes. "- the doctor explained. "That's why your girlfriend hasn't been aware that she is actually in the sixth month of her pregnancy. If it hadn't been for the substance that she has somehow stomached, she would have most probably remained oblivious. Many mothers that have had cryptic pregnancies get to know that they've been carrying a child when their waters break. Didn't your friend inform you of all that?"

Matt was too dumbfounded to reply at once. Then he realized that his phone had died shortly after he had received Hay Lin's message. She had most probably called him a billion times afterward but in vain. The man slammed his forehead with his palm and groaned. How was this possible? How the hell was this happening now, on top of everything that Will was already going through...

"How is she?"- he managed to ask in the end, in a dry voice. "Is everything with her and our baby alright, doctor, please tell me!"

"You may want to sit down, sir."

"Oh, my God."- Matt exclaimed, fearing the worst, while on the verge of grabbing the other man's collar. "Just tell me, God damn it! How is my girlfriend?!"

"Sir, I'm terribly sorry. Ms. Vandom's condition was critical. The high levels of these substances in her blood had been there for a long time and it was inevitable... A choice had to be made...Now, the hospital can't take such a decision without consent from the family, but thankfully that came just in time. I understand this must be hard to hear, sir, but it was fortunate that a reaction came almost momentarily. Had we not acted fast, Ms. Vandom could have died."

Matt felt the blood leave his every limb as he hardly managed to stop himself from puking. This was too much for him...

"Sir, are you alright? Do you need anything?"

"When will I be able to see her?"- Matt asked in a heartbroken tone.

He collapsed on one of the chairs in the waiting zone, burying his face in his palms. This was a nightmare.

"Ms. Vandom needs her rest, but we can allow you to visit her after an hour."- the doctor replied sympathetically. "Once again, I'm very sorry for your loss, sir. At least your girlfriend will be fine, that I guarantee. You're young people, you have so much time to make new babies- "

"Who signed Will's documents?"- Matt interrupted him. He could understand that the man was doing his best to empathize with him, but he wasn't up for that right now. He needed answers and some time alone to heal. "I mean, you said that someone from the family has to give consent, so I take it that none of our friends could have done that. So, who was it?"

Matt doubted that Susan had done so without talking to him first, but then again, he had been unavailable and the situation had obviously been an emergency. Still, he wanted to know for sure. The doctor excused himself and went to double-check with Will's papers in order to give him a proper answer. Meanwhile, the girls barged into the waiting zone. Matt sighed. True, he had thought he needs to be alone, but now he had understood that if he did actually spend more time by himself, he'd go crazy over what had happened.

"Matt!"

"Matt, we're so sorry."

Matt sobbed in Cornelia's hair as she held him in a tight hug.

"I'm sorry too."- he whispered. "I'm so busy all the time, I don't spend enough time with her and now this happened...We lost our first child before we knew it."

"Oh, Matt!"- Taranee whimpered, trying not to fall apart. She was falling apart because she already knew. She knew that this tragic experience would leave a _crack in her friend's heart_..._Poor Will,_ she thought crestfallen. _She has too much on her plate, too much for any person._

Cornelia slowly pulled away, keeping one arm around his neck. She had cried. She didn't even bother with cleaning the makeup smudges under her eyes, she turned to the others, who were also crestfallen as one could get, and said:

"Hay Lin went to get Susan. Irma, get Matt a cup of tea from downstairs."

The Latina wiped her eyes, nodded, and with one last pat on the man's back, went to fulfill the task.

"Taranee, call Will's lawyer."- Cornelia went on.

"W-why?"

"Because, they have to take all charges against her down!"- Cornelia snapped tearfully. "Look at what happened to her! They can't keep treating her like a criminal over nothing too!"

"Cornelia, I know how you feel."- Taranee was fully crying by now. "B-but, unfortunately, this isn't how the law system works. We just need to help Will go through with this- "

"It's unfair!"- Cornelia yelped and threw her hands over her knees. "It's so very unfair..."

It was now Matt's turn to comfort her. One way or another, he was beginning to find the strength needed to stay positive. It was just how he was. Yes, their first child was no more, but being fair, they hadn't even known about it till today. On the other hand, Will was going to be alright and that mattered so much more... Taranee took her glasses off to wipe them. She had just joined her friends' hug of mutual consolation when the doctor returned.

"Mr. Olsen, right? I checked with Will Vandom's file, there is a slight problem with the documentation. The paper with his signature is... oddly missing, but our head-nurse and the receptionist both confirmed; It was her father who signed her papers."

"That's impossible."- Matt exclaimed and looked over at Cornelia, who looked just as flummoxed as him. "What kind of people are working here, damn it!"

"I beg your pardon?"

"How is the paper missing?"- Cornelia raged before the doctor had time to take offense over Matt's blunt reaction. "We have to see this black on white because there must've been a mistake or something! Will's father _can't_ have signed anything!"

"Wait, doctor."- Taranee stood up. "You mean that Will's stepfather signed her papers, right? Mr. Dean Collins?"

The doctor looked at the three young adults in front of himself, in utter perplexity.

"Frankly, no, miss. The man that signed your friend's documents and gave consent for her surgery, presented himself as her birth father. Mr. Tony Vandom. He had the needed personal identification documents too, otherwise, our board wouldn't have approved his signature- "

"Cut the crap already!"- Matt clenched his fists. "That's impossible- "

"But Tony Vandom's deceased, he died almost a year ago! I d-don't see how could have he signed anything."- Taranee stammered, meeting Cornelia's concerned gaze. "He's dead... _Isn't he_?!"


	25. Skeleton in the Closet

**_Chapter 25: Skeleton in the Closet_**

_"...And the Heart was a tricky companion at moments like this. Because it didn't make the pain go away, it didn't help one heal; no magic could. No magic could truly make one numb to the pain of a loss. The Heart included- in moments like these, all it could do was give its keeper more ardent and darkness."_

* * *

_**Coronia, 28 years ago**_

The sky was practically_ pouring_ over the royal palace, as if out of a bottomless bucket. Rain was one of the few things Coronia saw on a rare, almost lost occasion. The storm roaring outside during that night was extremely unusual, but also quite neglected. Tonight, the Queen was in labor. She was to birth the princess and future jewel in the crown of Coronia, and the world was celebrating in advance.

Coronia was a land of innumerable wealth, gold and wisdom. Only beauty was thriving here; ugliness was being repelled by the enchanted fog that hid the planet from greedy and wicked thoughts and powers. No one had seen evil on these lands in generations. No one knew poverty, famine, war, or conflict. Everyone on Coronia was used to a lifestyle of glamour and affluence to an extent when no one believed in evil anymore.

A planet of wellness, gold and happiness, where the subjects lived like kings, and the kings lived like Gods, was not ready to accept the actual idea of darkness looming above its lands. But darkness, as many know, doesn't respect any laws or borders- it was to come quiet and unnoticed, plotting it's way to the highest focal points where nothing and no one would be able to stop it in it's peak...

After less than 40 minutes of labor pangs, the young Magana had already given birth to a healthy, beautiful baby girl that the royal midwives had taken away for a bath.

The young woman wiped the small droplets of sweat from her forehead and turned to her husband, who stood by her side in the Palace maternity ward, holding her hand. Their eyes met and their smiles talked to each other instead of their voices. Andan knew that his wife needed to regain her strength, even if going through an extremely mild and smooth pregnancy.

"Take your time to rest, my dear."- he said softly. "You just birthed the bright future of the kingdom. The people will be crowding together in the upcoming days, they'll all want to meet her and congratulate us. We might even have to organize the ceremony in our daughter's honor by next week. All the Coronians are highly impatient to have a look and we mustn't be keeping them away from any grace and beauty, must we?"

"Absolutely."- Magana retorted in bliss. "We will make sure that Coronia gets to meet Leonida. Their very next Queen in line."

"Her coronation is more than two decades away."- Andan chuckled, caressing his wife's hand. "Before she becomes Queen, she'll be our little princess. Promise me."

"For as long as we can postpone it."- Magana promised. "The crown isn't light...I want our daughter to have a life full of beauty and happiness, without having to carry the price of all that on her shoulders."

The sharp opening of the doors made the couple halt their conversation. When Magana recognized the figure standing on the doorstep, she hurried to get herself into a sitting position. Her features were taken over by tension and distaste:

"Icona?"- Andan stood up from his place and looked at the woman.

She was in her late 50s, with honey-colored hair gathered in a voluminous updo, hazel eyes, identical to those of his wife, and dark garments. The King attempted to say something to her, but she just raised her hand:

"Leave us alone for a minute, Andan."

"Truly? That's all you have to say?"- he exclaimed. "No, 'congratulations' at least? Icona, you just became a grandmother. At least try to appear cheerful?"

His tone was beginning to show off his irritation, but the King of Coronia couldn't afford to lose his temper. Even when the woman dismissed him bluntly, without even looking at him, he just shook his head and exited the maternity wing. His wife had nodded at him, urging him to do so. Andan knew that whenever the old bat flew out of the distant county, she had been living in for years, she never did it to simply share their happiness.

Once the man was out, Icona turned all her attention to the Queen, who did her best not to show her own tension.

"Good evening to you too, mother."- Magana said meaningfully. "I don't suppose that you're here to share the joy of us having our first daughter after just two years of marriage?"

"I'm happy for you, Magana. But you're right."- Icona spoke. "I'm not here to fool you and myself that life is a series of never-ending light and diamonds, like morons around here think of it as. Today you had your firstborn. You know what that means."

"Is this about that old prophecy again?"- her daughter asked tiredly, trying to suppress a yawn. "Mother, you can't seriously be thinking of that again!"- she almost groaned. "This is exactly why everyone thinks that you've lost your mind. You believe in old myths and legends that are utter nonsense...You waste your time, living in isolation because of that! Please, try to think rationally for a change- "

"The prophecy is no nonsense, Magana."- Icona interrupted her strictly. "It has been in our family for generations! When will you open your eyes to danger? You're just like every other Queen that has remained blind to the evil lurking in the shadows, taking victims under their noses, through the years! See the rain? It _never_ rains on Coronia, and you know it!"- and she pointed at one of the big windows in the room. "This rain is a bad omen. Your daughter is or will be somehow connected to the prophecy! I'm not saying that she'll be _it_, but she will somehow be connected to it! -"

"Enough mother!"- Magana raised her voice. "I don't need your insanity to obscure my daughter's future! You used to think the exact same thing about me and my sister, but none of us were connected to your legendary prophecy, were we? Please, just spare me the drivel!"

"The prophecy is long-term, Magana. We all play a part in it, you don't understand! I had a dream- "

Fed up with her mother's lunatic talks, Magana wanted to interrupt her. The last thing she needed now was to hear another one of her mother's ''seer'' dreams. But she couldn't stand up. Instead of that, Icona seated herself next to her on the bed:

"I saw your daughter in my dream. She was all grown up; the power of the crown had intoxicated her and the water of the Spring had turned black... She will hardly handle being the righteous queen of the realm, Magana..."- Icona narrated in a trance-like voice that terrified her daughter, but not more than her following statement: "- then I saw her in a puddle of blood. A puddle of Andan's blood!"

Magana hardly managed to contain her scream. Shocked and outraged, she sent her mother away from her sight, almost kicking her out of the maternity ward. She only allowed her to be given a place to stay in the Palace, that had once been hers, because of the storm that had yet not died down. Needless to say, she had been appalled by the extents of the older woman's insanity. How dare she even suggest such a thing?! How dare she project her own distorted thoughts and nightmares on her and her daughter, most of all!

That night, Magana didn't sleep well. The thunders and lightings kept dominating the entire capital.

The next morning, however, when she had finally drifted away, she was offhandedly awakened by one of her maids and a horrible revelation:

"By the Golds of Coronia, what is it, Jansu?"- the Queen rubbed her eyes and stared at the shaking maid that had barged in her chambers. "Is Leonida alright? Does she need me? Bring her to me!"

"N-no, your Majesty. The young princess has been sleeping peacefully ever since you last fed her. She's quite fine. But Countess Icona...s-she..."

"My mother? What about my mother?"

Magana followed the maid without even bothering to get dressed. She felt tense. When she made it to the bedroom where her mother had been left to sleep, her throat was already closing with anxiety, but nothing could have _ever_ prepared her for the site that she witnessed there.

There, on the pristine floor, in a horrific manner, laid a body. A body in a puddle of blood. A large puddle of blood, indeed. Icona's blood.

Magana's petrified screams echoed in the walls of the Aureate Edifice that had just witnessed the first of many tragedies to follow.

* * *

**Heatherfield, present days**

_I'm still alone when I wake up,_

_when I wake up with that same weep,_

_but I will not stop, I'm not giving up,_

_everywhere I still see your lead_

_The one which follows all my steps,_

_whenever I look at a new face,_

_I'm still mad, please understand,_

_I need a little, please!_

Decked in an oriental green top and a pair of elegant formal black pants, Nerissa moved intact with her ballad. The crowd before her wasn't at all as big as she had wished for it to be, yet they were still appreciative. Since her arrangement with Shagon had dropped for the nonce, due to obvious reasons, she figured she really didn't have the luxury of choice. She had to take what she could, and performing at the opening of a new sushi place in town, wasn't half that bad.

Yes, her big gigs and the so-desired album were still just fiction in her head, but the ex-guardian knew how to pursue her goals with baby steps. After all, she had spent over 17 years doing so. Now with her singing career on Earth, things didn't stand in exactly the same way, but Nerissa knew better than to just wait and waste even the little free time which she had.

Although, with the current situation, her free time had increased sharply. She spent less than two hours doing her Mage commitments on Meridian and then she was free to stroll around Heatherfield. Her husband and son worked; they were both much busier than her. Cornelia was constantly taking her grandson out with herself, and until it was late in the evening, Nerissa didn't really have many engaging activities to keep her busy, ever since Kandrakar had put Phobos and his disgusting gang under home arrest.

It was time for her chorus, she had no more time to overthink other parts of her life. She had to perform:

_You were my light, you were my darkness,_

_and I am still lying to myself, only,_

_in bed with someone, but in life so lonely_

_because no one can ever, take your place!_

_You were my poverty, you were my fortune,_

_with you, I had a reason for living,_

_the years go by, I still long the answer-_

_why was our life all so unforgiving?_

Nerissa did her best to remain mysterious, gracious, and warm while on the stage, even though her mood had gone south with the arrival of the news from Matt. She managed to move like a cat in her high pumps, adding an improvised, but definitely worth it choreography to her performance. But when she spotted a certain straw-blonde in the audience, Nerissa almost tripped. She frowned and looked again.

What? What was the Whelp doing here?_ Of all the people that could've come to watch me do this cheap gig_, the raven-haired woman thought with irritation. _Why did the Queen have to abandon her castle and come?_

She went through with the remaining couplet of her song with annoyance that she tried not to give out. No, it wasn't the song- the song was excellent, she had written it, after all, and she was a virtuoso. It was not even the unwanted stalemate-gig. It was Elyon's presence that bothered her to an extent where the manager of the sushi bar had to give her a meaningful look during her applauses.

_Oh, yes... She truly is the worst jinx to everything that I do!_

"Thank you. I'm Nerissa Crossnic and I had a ball singing for you tonight. Welcome to 'Shakura's Sushi'. Tonight, everything's 25% off. Eat up, Heatherfield, and don't forget: Nerissa Cro-"

"Nerissa, ladies and gentlemen!"- the manager had pulled the mic out of her hands and was prompting her to leave the stage with him.

"You're amazing, doll face, but we didn't talk about an extra advertisement for yourself tonight. Tonight's the opening. Maybe another time."- the manager winked at her. "Want some sushi for home? It's on us."

"Yes, why _not_."-Nerissa nearly snapped, gifting him with a venomous glare as he headed for the kitchen. Then she focused her entire attention on Elyon, who was sitting at one of the tables.

"Nice show."- she smiled once the tall woman approached her." You nailed it, no doubt. Soon you'll be a big name in the charts."

"Oh, why thank you."- Nerissa retorted mockingly. "Now, please, knock on your head."

"Huh, what?"-the blue-eyed woman didn't understand. "Why?"

"Because it's hollow wood and it will help prevent that statement of yours from jinxing me like you do each and every time."

Elyon rolled her eyes and sighed:

"Can we please leave all pettiness and the grudges aside? There was a time when we did, we stopped bickering with each other and it wasn't that bad, was it? We actually started getting along... I saw another side of you, one that reminded me of Trill- "

"I agree; let's talk business."- Nerissa put her hands on her waist, ignoring the last part of her words. "What are you doing on Earth, you tedious wasp? Is it not enough that I have to endure you on Meridian on the daily?"

Elyon took a deep breath and gathered all her poise. It wasn't going to be easy to talk this woman out of hating on her again, and she could understand why she felt that way. But Elyon had to try. She knew that once they were at the essential part, the ex-keeper wasn't going to give precedence to her personal hatred towards her:

"Sit, Nerissa. I know that you harbor an even bigger grudge towards me ever since I canceled our plan to eliminate Phobos. And I get it, I gave you a word which I didn't keep- "

"Oh, you're quite inquiring to conclude that."- Nerissa interrupted her again. "But it's pointless now, isn't it? It was the umpteenth time of you sparing your pathetic brother, in spite of everything and anyone. In spite of the fact that he wants to hurt Caleb and take over the Universe, most likely, in his despotic, good for nothing way, of course. Phobos lives, untouched by the ritual that could have neutralized him. All thanks to _you_."

"Still and all, you're the Mage. "- The Queen insisted. "We still have to discuss certain things. You can't just ignore me because of the later decision which Kandrakar suggested to me and I accepted."

"Is that so? You finally learned all your geography lessons and you can take part in state affairs? Kudos to you, your _Flatness_, it only took you 11 years to fall into routine."- with yet another spiteful remark, Nerissa finally seated herself, facing her. "So, what would you possibly like to discuss now?"

Elyon was just going to reply when she noticed the man standing behind her interlocutor with a plastic bag in his hand.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to overhear- "

"Oh, no problem. She's not only a singer, but she's also an actress."

Dumbfounded by Elyon's sudden change of dialogue, Nerissa also turned around and saw the manager of the bar.

"Wow, multitalented!"

"We were rehearsing lines."- the girl went on with a chuckle. "So, just don't spoil the plotline to anyone, OK?"

"You got it."- the manager grinned and left the bag on their table. "You're playing a villain, huh?"- he nudged Nerissa before he went on his way. "Good for you, gorgeous. You have it in the bag."

That was the last straw. In the next minute, 'quintessence' had the fire alarm sprinklers activated, getting the entire bar and its customers drenched.

"Let's leave this dump before I strangle him."- Nerissa said as she and Elyon made their way out of the place.

"You realize you most probably just sabotaged your own gig, don't you?"- Elyon said as they walked down a relatively empty street.

"My gig? What does that have to do with the sushi place's poor fire alarm system?"- Nerissa tossed her hair back, as she put her coat on.

"Well, for instance, people may think of you as a jinx. You know, since you performed before they all suddenly got wet and everything."

Nerissa stopped walking for a second and glared at the shorter woman:

"See? You do jinx everything that I do! This is your fault!"

"You can't be serious."- Elyon laughed." What did I do now? You got angry that that guy called you a villain and you- "

"Shut up! Tell me about that thing you wanted to discuss. No, don't tell me; it's your ugly hairstyle."

Elyon almost smiled. The ice between them had been somewhat broken. That was a start:

"I will, but we might as well take the other girls too. They need to know as well. Let's call Will-"

"Well, that sure was a good couple minute pause you made from giving the stupidest ideas."- Nerissa snorted as they walked on the frosty sidewalks. "I thought that you knew, since you came to me, that Will is in the hospital and the others are practically useless without the Heart and her."

"What? She's in a hospital? What for?"

"It's quite terrible, actually. I'd say it was a miscarriage if it wasn't worse. She was forced to lose her unborn child."

"_What?!_"

Elyon was petrified. Nerissa put her hands in the pockets of her long coat and said nothing more. They both spent a minute or so in silence. They had reached a bus stop, but now Elyon's entire plan was changing.

With the given circumstances, she could no longer ask the girls and Will, in particular, to come along and explore the mysterious room in the Coronian palace. She would have to go with the Mage alone, and that promised to be challenging.

* * *

Susan was crying uncontrollably for so long now, that her husband started worrying she'll have a seizure. It was late and they were alone in the house- their son they had sent to stay with Dean's mother, because of the whole condo corpse drama, and all these things that a boy William's age didn't need to witness.

It was also good he was away because he wouldn't get to see his mother in such a state. She had been crying for hours. Again, and again over the last twenty-four hours, just making short pauses to sleep.

Dean sighed as he went to the medical cabinet. If Susan had somehow managed to hold it all together in spite of being trialed and thrown in a cell for two days, unjustly, the news of Will losing her baby had torn her apart. She was a complete wreck and Dean empathized with her; he himself felt immense pain over what was happening in their lives. For God's sake, Will was like a birth daughter to him. Of course, he felt terrible for what had happened to her, but Susan's reaction was something else.

She was completely inconsolable and her husband was genuinely getting worried by now. In the end, he saw himself obliged to give her something stronger to soothe her crumbling nerves. The Valium and valerian hadn't helped and it was time for Xanax. After all, the last thing which the teacher wanted was to see his wife being taken away to receive mental help in some institution. It was the last disgrace she needed to experience too.

"Susan! Susan, take this. You need it to calm down."- Dean insisted as he came back into the bedroom with two pills and a glass of water. "Drink this."

Susan didn't want to hear. She kept weeping and just shook her head to the point where the man saw himself obliged to almost force her to take the medication. He hated seeing her in this forlorn state and he hated whoever was doing this to her. Susan was a genuinely good person. She didn't deserve all this.

"It will be alright, honey."-Dean breathed once he got on the bed and held his wife close to himself. "This too shall pass."

"Why is this h-happening to us, Dean."- Susan, who was already falling under the influence of the drugs, whispered. "Who is doing this to me and my daughter, and why?! Our entire life we've done no one wrong. All I wanted was for Will to embrace motherhood and now..."- she started crying again, until the two pills' sedating substances kicked in and Susan fell into a deep sleep, minutes later.

_A relevant question_, Dean thought grimly. He knew that he had to take things in his hands in order to be able to help the two women in his life. He had to do something to end their troubles.

Giving Susan a few more minutes to fall deeper into her sleep, Dean kept her on his chest. Then he gently left her on the pillows before standing up and heading for his office in the house.

He wanted to get a few things checked and ring a few phones.

In his years, the history professor had never sought conflict and trouble; everyone knew him as an ordinary, peaceful man. But when someone tried to hurt those who were dearest to him, Dean Collins felt an unknown, dangerous ardent scald his insides. Ardent that gave him the power and will to do the unthinkable.

* * *

"Tony is not dead. Will's dad faked his death and we hid it from her. But why?!"- Taranee was going around in circles, in her old bedroom, where she and her friends had gathered tonight.

"Because, Will was already more or less a wreck."- Cornelia snapped. "She tries not to show it, but she's in tremendous pain over the loss of that baby! We couldn't have told her more upsetting news, Tara! "

"I know, Cornelia! But I just can't get my head around what the hell is happening!"- Tara cried and sat on her bed in total emotional defeat.

"Hey, is this some new trend that I've missed following, or is it just a bizarre coincidence, though?"- Irma interjected with pretended thoughtfulness, trying to start the ball rolling towards a less strained tone of discussion. "What's with everyone faking their deaths? First Leonida, now Tony! I mean, what's with these people, sheesh!"

"It makes sense for Mr. Vandom to fake his death if he had something to hide."- Hay Lin said before Cornelia could start yelling at Irma for trying to crack jokes. "That corpse that they found in his condo... It's a sin to say that if it turns out to be untrue, but we're all thinking it...Maybe he murdered that person and then-"

"Yes, but it don't add up."- Cornelia argued. "If Tony killed someone, why did he have to compromise with himself like that? He could've just gotten rid of the body, or he could've fled the city, or the country, or something like that! Why would he go to such extremes like faking his own death? And why was the body discovered just now, so many months after his alleged death?!"

Taranee stood up again, starting with her circles. Cornelia had a right, she knew. But what was the point of playing the guessing game when so much was at stake? Hay Lin was left with a concerned look on her face, thinking of what to say to all that. All these were valid points and questions, but they couldn't know anything for sure until their investigation gave more prominent results than a few words over a phone call.

Irma was just lying on her back, bouncing a small rubber ball in the ceiling of Taranee's room. She was too tired and fed up with everything at this stage. It had been a long week and an even longer month. And the month hadn't even been halved yet. _Great_.

"Maybe he murdered a bigwig. Then he realized that simply hiding the body wouldn't do, someone would still pin it on him. He needed a credible story to save himself and his relatives. Big money and dangerous people were involved, so he needed to "die" to bury it all. Only he didn't die: he covered his traces, faked his car crash, and then fled the country, Corny. Just a guess."

"You watch too many shows, Irma."- Hay Lin shook her head. "I still can't believe that this is happening! Will's dad has never given me criminal vibes, despite everything. I can't believe he'd do all that horrible stuff, maybe he's being framed..."

Irma made a peeved face and hit the Air guardian with the rubber ball.

"And you're too gullible! He never gave you ''criminal vibes''. Pah-lease! You didn't exactly spend every day with him, did you, Hay-Hay! Besides, none of us know the _actual_ details of Susan's divorce from him-"

"Okaaay, but then why is he back in Heatherfield now, after the corpse he supposedly murdered was found? Why was it found now?"- Cornelia insisted. "It still doesn't make sense to me! It's only logical for the murderer to run even farther from the crime scene in a moment like this, and what does Tony do? He comes to the hospital to sign his daughter's papers! It's as if he's purposely leaving evidence for the police to find! Why would a murderer do all that, _Irmy_?"

"I don't know, haven't you heard that old saying about the criminal always returning to the crime scene?"- the Water guardian shrugged. "He must have some reason. Maybe he's back for the hidden treasure- "

"Now you're just blabbing!"- Cornelia raged.

"I know, but what else can I do? If we really want answers, we need to get our hands on Tony! The truth won't just come to us like Jesus came to Bethlehem!"

"You both make sense, don't you see?"- Taranee interjected. "Cornelia, Irma said something very key. Put together with your thoughts, it gives the initial images of the entire picture! Irma, can you repeat what you said, please?"

"What did I say?'- Irma blinked in perplexity. "I mean, I said many pivotal things, like always- "

"No, I specifically want everyone to hear that part after your cogitation about the dangerous people, Tony most probably got involved with. What did you say after that?"

"That he needed to die?"- Irma nodded. "Most probably, because he was deep in shit, owned by some mafia organization- "

"No, after that! What did you say after that?"

"That he didn't die?"- Irma shot after a short thought.

"No!"- Taranee was clearly impatient to make her point. "After that! You said Tony needed to cover his tracks and then fake his automobile crash. See, it does make sense! He covered his tracks, but someone's uncovering them now! Someone wants to expose Tony! That's why he's doing all these illogical things and that's why the body was found just now! Someone behind the scenes is directing all this! I'm pretty sure that Alexis is working for that someone too!"

"You're right..."- Cornelia clicked her tongue. "But who is that mysterious enemy of Tony's that is now determined to expose him and punish him? Can't be someone related to that ''bigwig'', if we choose to lean on Irma's theory, or can it? I mean, thugs don't usually try to get someone that has crossed them into jail, I don't know. Don't they usually kill their enemies-"

"And then I watch too many shows?"- Cornelia rolled her eyes at Irma's remark.

Taranee just nodded livelily:

"Everything's possible, girls, we have to investigate this more, these theories are just crumbles as for now. I don't even want to exclude the theory that someone is framing him yet, although that whole entire fake death is questionable, but-"

"You guys, I can't believe how stupid we have been."- Hay Lin, who had been lost in thoughts up until now, exclaimed, staggering her girlfriends. "How did we not think of this until now? It's right there!"

The others were still at a loss, hence the young Asian further specified:

"Don't you get it? It happened just a few months ago, remember? Remember who tried to steal from Will and her mom and even kill them while faking she was pregnant?"

"Oh, my God, that bitch!"- Irma gasped, finally seeing it. "No doubt she's in it! I knew we had to take her off that plane while we still could! That- "

"Serena."- Cornelia and Taranee exclaimed in unison. "But again, that doesn't explain Tony's behavior completely."

At the end of the Summer, upon discovering Will's stepmother's criminal intentions, the girls had gone after her, but Serena had managed to escape. Deprived of everything that she had stolen and hidden from the Vandoms for months, she had fled as to avoid being confronted. (**check Heart of a Mother chapters 36&37 for details on the denouement**)

Taranee was firm. Even though they had just uncovered a part of the puzzle that was most surely accurate, they had to keep looking. They had to find the remaining pieces before the official trial...

Just then, they heard a strange noise from downstairs. Was it the door? Or the sound of glass breaking?!

"Um, what was that Tara?"- Hay Lin asked with concern, standing up. "I thought that your parents are out of town? That's why we chose to talk here because Nigel's mom is at your place- "

"They are, they're at Midgale for a seminar!"- Taranee replied hastily, also alarmed by the sound. "I don't know what's happ- "

"Besides, I don't think that her parents would break glass to enter their own house, Hay. It's probably just some stupid vandals or a thief."- Irma stretched on the bed, like a cat, remaining far too unbothered by the latest events. Way too indifferent for Cornelia's taste, who snapped:

"I don't see how you can say that as if it's no big deal, but I for one, plan to give whoever just decided to spoil my evening, even more, a piece of my mind!"

But the mysterious unwanted guest had apparently already made it to the door of Taranee's bedroom as if he knew his way around the house...The girls heard the thudding footsteps and Cornelia got ready to use her powers on the intruder when the door opened:

"Caleb?!"- she had stopped herself just before she could give her fiancé a painful slam in the wall.

"Ok, I take my words back. Not vandals."- Irma announced from the bed. "Rebels. I was close enough."

"What are you doing here, sweetie?"- Cornelia exclaimed, approaching the man.

"Caleb you broke in my parents' house through a window, _again_?"- Taranee whined. "Come, on man! It's been years! Are there no doorbells for you?"

"Hey, I rang, I knocked, I yelled: all in vain. A riot can take place under your window and you girls wouldn't pay attention to it."- Caleb defended himself, putting his hand on Cornelia's waist, who elbowed him playfully for his comment. "And for all these years, I've learned where you keep the spare key. I used the door. I just...kind of broke a vase in the darkness."- he scratched the back of his head sheepishly, making Irma and Hay Lin chuckle.

"Huh, anyhow."- Taranee took a seat, reconciled with the facts about the broken decorations. "Say, what's the matter? Where's the fire."

"Yeah, if you were going crazy because Corny hasn't given you head since yesterday, Theresa's bedroom is empty. You can go there."- Irma said bluntly, causing Caleb to furrow his brows in chagrin.

"Did you drug yourself to this obnoxious attitude today, Irma?"- the Earth guardian didn't remain obliged.

"Burry the hatchers for now. I'm here with news."- Caleb spoke before the fight could go on. "We have to go to Coronia at once. My mother and her Majesty are there. There are facing a rather problematic situation."

* * *

_**Coronia, 1 AM, local time**_

"People, please! I don't understand, what has gotten into you?"- Elyon exclaimed, trying to get the crowd to calm down.

Her shock and incomprehension when an angry crowd of nearly a hundred Coronians happened on her, just in front of the Aureate Edifice, were unlimited. What had happened to turn all these people so hostile towards her? Just the previous day everyone in the realm had loved her and saw her as their savior.

And while the Queen of Meridian struggled to explain herself and intentions to the crowd that prevented them from entering the palace, Nerissa stood a few feet back with a deep frown and crossed arms. Of course, if it was up to her, she would've long made her way through these silly people by now. But naturally, since the Queen had _ordered_ her not to interject, quite strictly, in actuality, she remained passive. Annoyed, but passive. After all, the last thing Meridian needed was for another realm to break all ties with them, start to hate and despise them, like some other kingdoms. Yes, Nerissa had a clear idea of politics and best interests, when it came to almost everything. It was Elyon, who had a hard time explaining herself to the angry Coronians:

"You can't fool us with your lies, Queen Elyon! Why do you keep postponing your wedding with prince Andan if you're sincere?"

"Truth is, you only want to take advantage of our gold and jewels!"

"You have no actual intention to take charge of Coronia, you're toying with our lives!"

Nerissa rolled her eyes to the back of her head. These people were hypocrites. As if they didn't at all need a Queen desperately before the utter debacle of their world became fact... What did they hope to achieve by hindering them from entering the castle at this late hour?

_Pretensions__ are dangerous companions to those who have in abundance_, Nerissa thought for she knew very well. Having a lot can indeed start spoiling one rotten, making them lose the initial path of their goals. She knew for it had almost happened with her once.

Or even _more than once_, to be fair, the ex-keeper turned to the other side, trying to ignore the desire to interfere in the scene with the Coronians. _But then again, I managed to fix and get rid of these vulturous p_retensions_, the most I could..._

"That's not true!"- Elyon exclaimed fervently. "I've undertaken a responsibility towards this world, and I will carry out with it! I'm an honest person, on the basis of what are you doubting me?!"

The crowd all started to reply to her in many, loud incomprehensible voices, that drowned the words and made them sound like the buzzing of thousands of bees. The aristocrats and farmers all went silent when one of them, a well-built man in his early 30s, managed to outshout them and take the role of a spokesman for the majority:

"I will answer to that! Queen Elyon, my name is Emery, please accept my kindest apologies for this little riot. Perhaps you think we're not right to do what we're doing, but if you put a thought to it, I think you'd agree. For us, the people of Coronia, it is essential that you become Queen as soon as possible. Due to some unforeseen circumstances, your wedding was postponed, but a handful of time passed ever since then, yet you seem to be in no hurry to take charge of Coronia in general."- Emery's words made Elyon look down. In part, he was right; she did postpone the wedding purposely, but what could she do? She was waiting for her heart to tell her that it's time. How could she make her heart compete with the undying, growing needs of an entire world?

"Queen Elyon of Meridian. We've listened a lot about you."- Emery went on, running a hand through his sand-colored hair, to get it off his dark, almond-shaped eyes. "We respect and venerate you and your kingdom; hence I humbly ask you to forgive my fellow Coronians for this type of welcome tonight. Forgive us and understand our point of view. We need a Queen, we need you to marry Andan as soon as possible, otherwise not only will our everyday life start declining- Coronia will lose its glamour and pride, irreversibly-"

"I-I, I und-"

But Elyon couldn't finish because five figures had come from the sky. They landed on the plain in front of the majestic Palace that shined in the dark, and one of them spoke in a voice that endured no further objections:

"We'll take it from here. If Coronia doesn't want to lose all its glitz and pride, maybe you shouldn't try stopping your future queen and the guardians of Kandrakar again. Scat."

"Will..."- Nerissa murmured under her nose, shocked to see the redhead amid the guardians, who had arrived with concern written over their faces. Concern for her. Their leader...

Caleb and Blunk were also with them, Cornelia's telekinesis set them down close to Nerissa, who could only blink as Will turned to her. Elyon had sent a message to her son to fetch the guardians and come help with the ripened situation, but they hadn't expected for their leader to come along, given the circumstances:

"Yes, I'm here."- Wil retorted tepidly. "I still hold the Heart of Kandrakar, and it still alarms me when my presence is needed. Did you two think that the others would come here without my notice and interjection?"- and she eyed the black-haired woman and the Queen critically. "Without the Heart, they wouldn't have even united and it would've been pointless. You better lose that pity from your tones and expressions, because I hate it. All of you."

Elyon was at a loss of words when Cornelia came to her and just gave ger a sign to keep walking towards the Palace. At the site of the guardians and Will's silent fury, in particular, the crowd didn't dare try stopping them again. They made way as the small delegation kept walking. It was only Emery who took more time to step back. Will turned to him, as a bolt of electricity harshly emerged from her body, making her hair fly up.

"Didn't you hear when I told you to beat it, pal? You have a second to join the rest of your friends before you find yourself on the top of that tree."

"You better listen to her."- Irma said seriously, helping Emery by pulling him aside.

"Queen Elyon, promise you'll think about it! Promise you'll marry prince Andan sooner!"- Emery shouted after them, as they took off. "Coronia needs you!"

Elyon turned her big, guilt-filled eyes to him, but a hand roughly pushed her to the front.

"Do not give big promises again."- Nerissa hissed. "You're quite bad at keeping them, anyway."

"But he's right."- the straw-blonde sighed. "I have given that promise long ago. I just have to fulfill it now. I have to..."

But Nerissa wasn't listening to her anymore. She observed the back of the redhead, who walked in the front, thinking about her actions and behavior, and how terribly they reminded her of her own at points in her life...Points that had brought her so much pain. Pain which Will was undoubtedly going through. And the Heart was a tricky companion at moments like this. Because it didn't make the pain go away, it didn't help one heal; no magic could. No magic could truly make one numb to the pain of a loss. The Heart, included- in moments like these, all it could do was give its keeper more ardent and _darkness_.

The group made their way through the big corridors of the palace, led by Elyon, who had to take them to the wall where the enchanted door of the strange, secret room appeared. Once they were where they needed to be, the guardians were a little puzzled, stopping to think of what to do next:

"Blunk see no door. Blunk only see wall!"- Blunk noted the obvious.

Hay Lin took the initiative and ran her hand against the wall, examining it thoroughly.

"There is something."- she stated uncertainly "There is something when you put your energy to it, but it's so very faint... This wall is very strong if it can conceal presence so well."

"Are you sure this is where the door should be, babe?"- Irma turned to Elyon with a skeptical expression. "I don't wanna be rude or anything, but you've been wrong before."

Taranee rubbed her chin. Ever since Caleb had retold them the story of Elyon's discovery, she had been asking herself the same and she wasn't proud of it.

"No, you're not just rude, Irma, you're unbearable!"- Cornelia snapped, but Elyon just shook her head confidently:

"I'm a thousand percent sure, but Dua did say that only he can make the door appear... I don't know what that means, but if it's true, we have to get him- "

"I'll try the Heart first."- Will made her way to the front again and everyone grew silent. Even Blunk stopped string in his place. "The Heart is a skeleton key."- the redhead went on, pretending she hadn't noticed the sudden change in the scene.

But no matter how hard she tried, the jewel didn't do the trick this time. The wall remained the same, even after the bright pink lights died down. Will frowned and looked down at it. The only source of her strength now was to disappoint her?

"This appears to be blood magic."- Nerissa announced. "That is why only the boy can open the door. We need him here."

Taranee was just about to put that under doubt, for she couldn't exactly understand as to why Magana would need Dua to come with her each time if it was blood magic when Elyon took a step forward:

"Let's go."- she said. "He must be sleeping, but... This room has a weird essence and feel to it. We have to get inside."

"I'll come too."- Cornelia volunteered, and without wasting any more time, Nerissa teletransported the three of them in front of the young prince's bedroom, where she had already been during her solo action on Coronia months ago.

The three women were just about to open the doors, when a hand from behind them, pushed the doors back.

"What in the name of eminence are you doing? Queen Elyon, I'm surprised by your actions. You of all people must know the young prince does need his sleep. The Queen was especially committed to his routine."- it was Visser.

He had stopped them from entering Dua's chambers with a firm hand and even firmer expression.

"Visser, you don't understand. This is an emergency- "- Elyon struggled to explain, but the courtier didn't want to hear about it.

"I'm sorry, your Highness, I can't disobey the late Queen's orders- "

"Oh, out of the way, you old fool!"- Nerissa hissed and pushed him so hard, he shuddered and found himself a few feet back from his previous location. "Or I'll make you a permanent addition to that coat of arms!"- the ex-guardian hissed.

The old man's face remained unchanged, but he didn't rush towards them another time.

"I'm sorry, but our business here is directly related to Kandrakar, we are envoys of the Fort of Infinity! This kingdom is under Kandrakar's watch and care, and we're the guardians. With what right are you trying to stop us at all, I don't understand?!"- Cornelia said icily. "Mind your own business!"

Elyon gave the girls a sign to remain where they were and entered Dua's chambers on her own. She was going to wake him up and lead him out of his room in order to avoid scaring him unnecessarily. The others would wait for them outside where the dispute with Visser went on:

"One more thing."- Nerissa frowned at the man. "Why didn't the guards take care of the angry crowd which greeted me and her Majesty at the entrance of the palace, just now? And where is Andan? I was under the impression that Coronia is light years ahead of Meridian when it comes to governance and security, but I guess that I've been led up the garden path."- she said with a bitter cheeky smile.

"A hundred of excuses, Mage, but you seem to forget that our kingdom is currently left without a Queen."- the old man spoke in a calm voice, yet managed to exude a great amount of aversion to his collocutors. "And without a Queen, we are doomed, of a surety! The guards and his Highness, as well as the young prince, who you are determined to disturb in this late hour, are all sleeping. I'm sorry, Coronia is just not used to having all these woes of all forms which follow you. For us, misfortune began after you came to our lands and brought your problematics with yourselves. Excuse me- "

Nerissa's smile quenched as the man turned his back to them and started walking away.

"Why you hard-mouthed geezer!"- she was just about to rush after him when a stern voice behind her, halted her.

"Silence. All of you."- there was just such an unusual and depressing grim to Will's voice, that Cornelia couldn't help shiver.

Even Nerissa was repeatedly taken aback by that disturbing change in the redhead because she obeyed her without another word. She could only stare at her, as Will finished her short, but suasive statement.

"We are here to investigate the odd room, discovered by Elyon, not to fight with the staff. And that's exactly what we'll do. We'll stick to pursuing our goal."

Ten minutes later, Irma was already impatient and sour. Waiting in front of a wall that only some little brat could open, seemed extremely unpleasant and irritating to her right now. All her friends had problems, she knew that, Will was going through an especially hard time; Coronia and Meridian were also in a stalemate position, and as long as Phobos and his homicidal baby-momma were held under home arrest and such light conditions, almost as if they were just vacationing in a resort, many people were still threatened. Irma could understand all of that, of course, but now that she had a problem of her own and her mood was terribly flopped, she chose to be selfish. She had the right to be, just like everyone needed to think of themselves at times. But Irma wasn't someone who could easily admit defeat or being down in the dumps. She often faced her personal problems and inner turmoil with poorly made jokes and sharp-tongued attitude in a desperate attempt to hide that she is paining.

Having noticed her drifting away, Taranee was just about to say something to her, when Elyon and the others teletransported back.

"Finally, did you give birth to that kid up until now that it took you so much time?"- the water-witch spat.

"Will you shut your gigantic mouth already?"- Cornelia didn't remain obliged and threw a glare full of reproach at her.

"Okay, let's take a look in that strange room already, shall we?"- Hay Lin suggested, desperate to dissipate the tension.

Elyon nodded firmly and then gently urged Dua, who looked at the group of people he barely knew, in fear, to step forward.

Anxious, but resigned to his role, the young boy pressed his hand against the wall. The heavy odd door appeared just like Elyon had seen it appearing before. It was now that she noticed the runes and mystic drawings depicted on the hard dark surface of the door.

"Wait a second, Hay Lin."- Taranee materialized her phone in her hand and snapped a picture of the disappearing door before she allowed the Air guardian to open it. "This might be important."- she explained to her friends that eventually nodded in comprehension. It made sense.

They entered the room together and looked around themselves.

"Talk about a change of scenery."- Irma murmured, looking around the dark room after Taranee set the torches on the walls on fire. "This doesn't even look like it belongs in the Coronian palace. It's like Hay and I made a small model home for school again, and Chris added one of his fugly isolator room toys."

"Exactly."- Elyon exclaimed, gently leaving Dua to further investigate the room. "That's why I brought you here, everything about this place rings a bell. Do you feel the energy in these walls? It's so...eerie."

"Is there any chance Magana had a book like Phobos did, containing all her secrets?"- Hay Lin wondered out loud, as she flew close to the shelves. All these books and objects looked strangely different and not at all in place next to each other.

"I don't think she's that stupid."- Caleb growled as he opened one chest full of old clothes.

"Or arrogant."- Taranee added thoughtfully. "By the looks of it, whatever secret she has guarded, she never wanted for anyone to uncover it. Perhaps this room was only mandatory for the royal family to hide their darkest private affairs..."

"What is all this junk, anyway?"- Cornelia had knelt down next to Caleb and was looking at the old tatters he had found. "I don't get it, everything in Coronia is so chic and glamorous, and everything! These things here look nothing like everything else around this world!"

"These things are just... old and washed out."- Will was speaking for the first time since they returned from Dua's chambers. Her voice was low and focused. She was holding the Heart of Kandrakar which flickered oddly. "They're washed out of their energy and all the essence which they've contained in the past. This room is like Phobos's spring under the Meridian castle! It has the same purpose. It drains life force, but..."

"...From objects?"- Irma finished and made a face. Well, that certainly cleared things up. "Objects don't even have life force in them, what a waste of time!"

"No, they don't, but they carry the essence of their owner!"- Elyon shook her head and went over to Cornelia who was now looking over at another end of the creepy room.

"Are these...are these _braids_?!"- the Queen couldn't bear to hide her shock as she and her friend observed the pieces of hair that were hooked onto little grapples on the wall.

Blunk was the only one who had kept his cool up until now. He approached the little prince and patted his back amicably.

"Don't worry, Dua-boy. Blunk here! Already sniffed this room- absolutely nothing scary here."- the passling creaked." Just Queen's stash of collectibles!"

"Yeah."- Irma trailed with a frown. "To be honest, it does look like that. What if Magana was just a hoarder. A hoarder of creepy shit..."

But Nerissa's eyes had long focused themselves on the stone book pedestal in the middle of the platform in front of the main wall. She dusted it and narrowed her eyelids:

"Come here for a minute, Dua."- she said quietly. "Come and put your hands over here."

Everyone gathered around her, as the prince approached the pedestal timidly. He slowly placed his little hand where the ex-guardian had pointed at. That instantly triggered something.

With a loud, heavy noise, the pedestal went down in the floor, and when it appeared back again- it was no longer a book holder. It was a large, rectangular-shaped box, with many different compartments filled with even odder-looking items.

A strange looking old comb, earrings, marble balls even teeth...

"What the he- "

"Look."- Hay Lin pointed at the empty compartment in the middle of the dower-chest. "It's like something is missing there, I wonder what?"

"M-mom's corn doll."- Dua attracted all eyes on himself. "I took it from there yesterday... Grandma stored it in this chest, but she never let me near it. It's her secret chest of valuables..."

"No, this is no chest."- Nerissa shook her head, looking over at each one of the guardians. "Do you not feel it? This room! This room is used for an ancient rite, one that resembles ancient blood sorcery. Many more secrets lie within!"

"It's overwhelming..."- Hay Lin agreed. "It's like there's a _last breath_ that never managed to escape this...this chest."

As she said that, Nerissa swung her hand. The lid with the compartments slid away to reveal the core of the big box. Everyone gasped. Blunk and Taranee even screamed although Taranee managed to control her high-pitched squeal in the last moment.

"Now that's what I call a skeleton in the closet."- Irma murmured, totally baffled and repulsed.

"Why would they do such a thing?"- Hay Lin exclaimed in terror.

The box was no box. It was a coffin. And inside, lay a _real human skeleton_. And as if the view wasn't horrendous enough, the bottom of the coffin was besprent with teeth...

Will was at a loss of words. This was the second corpse she was discovering this month. She had had enough...

"_Omnia secreta revelare! Da mihi loqui ad me et scientia. Quae tua fuit fatum?! Quid mora vestigio! Quid mora vestigio!_"- Nerissa's spell didn't give the effect she had wanted to achieve, but nevertheless, it did have some efficiency.

The blinding lights from her hand struck the skeleton and reflected in the entire room.

An ominous green glow spread everywhere and made dozens of framed portraits visible on the walls of the gloomy room. Framed portraits that haven't been there before...

On the main wall, the one behind the coffin had appeared the biggest portrait of them all. A portrait of a mature woman with dark golden hair, that had come to life.

"My God..."- was the only thing Cornelia managed to say as she clutched onto Caleb's arm.

The image of the woman in the portrait was moving and writhing as if experiencing a set of unstopping pangs, and the misery and insanity on her face, were definitely more than one could take.

* * *

**A/N**: Check out my new story **"The Tears of the Traitress",** which I'll be writing alongside this one. It's going to be a short one covering pivotal moments of Nerissa's past and her life on Meridian after the ancient Mage's death. (takes place after "**The Bigger Picture"**, but "**Conqueror"** will come to take place between some of the future chapters.) All my one-shots are always available for you to have a look at. I always love to hear from each and every reader of mine. :)

Also, have a look at my good friend KelseyAlicia's newest two additions to the W.I.T.C.H franchise- "Happy Mother's Day" and "Happy Father's Day". She did them as a gift for me, and I thought it to be so sweet. (her story about Caleb and Nerissa and her take on their mother/son relationship you'll find in **"Caleb Gone South"** (a personal favorite of mine). Do check them out!


	26. Breach of Faith

_**Chapter 26: Breach of Faith** _

_"She loved him. She loved all his imperfections dearly, but when she saw that he could not take care of their child, she did not hesitate to push him. It was a breach of faith. Her faith. She pushed him and he kept falling and falling ... falling to the abyss with their names on his lips …"_

* * *

It was morning in Meridian, and Miranda looked around herself one last time before timidly daring to enter the Palace, where she had once been feared and venerated. During Phobos, all the staff here had treated her like royalty; they used to satisfy all her whims and were genuinely afraid of her anger. Things now stood differently. Even though she still had the power to sweep the guards and soldiers away, unsupported by anyone, she didn't ever _dare_ consider it. If she showed the tiniest sign of evil intentions, she could forget about achieving her goal.

The stakes were totally different. Designed as a poor oil saleswoman, Miranda managed to persuade the security guard to let her inside the palace. The little veiled girl walking beside her also helped. With her ragged headscarf and the patchwork on her cloak, she was definitely a pathetic enough sight.

But the shapeshifter wasn't in a hurry to feel relief. She knew that making it in the palace was by the powers of every other peasant. Queen Elyon's democratic rule and her closeness to the people had made the once feared, restricted and exquisite castle, a second towns square... Nevertheless, it would've been no problem if she were here to interact with the staff and or seek food. No, Miranda knew that getting an audience with her Majesty was still quite difficult. She had to go through her personal sentry first and when they recognized her, they'd surely try to tackle her down and take her to the odious dungeons, she had barely managed to escape all these years ago. And while luring the most of the guards wouldn't have been as hard, the fact that Raythor was an integral part of that formation made matters a whole lot more difficult.

"Hey, who are you? State your business here!"- Miranda stopped dead in her tracks and hissed under her nose. But she had expected it- she had not yet made it to the doors of the throne room and his voice had caught up with her. Was that man living on his guard day and night?

Raythor approached them from behind with a strict expression. The blade of his sword pulsed at the light, hung on the belt around his rock-hard torso. Curse the Mage for supplying the entire ex-rebel community and the royal sentries with these bewitched weapons that can destroy any shifter and object of dark magic in the matter of seconds! Miranda dared to turn towards the man, keeping her face behind the tattered scarf.

"We're poor people, master Raythor. My mother, she is mute... We're here to offer our oils to her Majesty. She had open audiences each Thursday and..."

Miranda almost jumped in her place when the little girl next to her spoke. But she was so very convincing, it could've worked...If only the Captain hadn't insisted:

"Your papers first, girl. The Queen only holds audiences for legal subjects of the kingdom and the districts. And you will have to uncover your faces."

"Sir, please, we don't have our papers with us, but we're locals."- Mancy's voice shivered. "How could we not be, with the veil around Meridian and-"

"Don't give me those empty, bosh words and reveal your identities!"- Raythor barked, taking his sword out.

"Raythor!"

It was Miriadel who had overheard the noise on her way down the main stairs. Seeing her, the man moved the weapon away with reluctance.

He was in no mood for the redhead's haggle. Their views were so very different lately. Miriadel believed in people's poverty and needs. Rayhtor believed that a big part of these people were only using that as an excuse to live without working. 11 years had passed since Phobos was down, for Pete's sake! The crisis which he had caused, regardless of how grand it was, was by now surpassed. Those who were most poor on Meridian were those who refused to evolve and change their old ways...

"Excuse me, sweetie. We're all on our way to help people like you and your mom."- Miriadel said warmly while firing a strict look at the other captain. "Soon, Meridian will provide for all of its subjects in disadvantaged situation. I assure you. Now, give me a minute and I'll get the Queen ready for hearing you out."

Miranda was pleased. Her lips twisted into a catty smile under her scarf as she looked down. Thanks to her daughter and Miriadel's misunderstood humanism, she didn't even have to say a word. She was going to preserve her forces for in front of the Queen...

A few minutes later, Miriadel opened the doors of the Throne Room and made them a sign to enter.

_Great_, Miranda thought victoriously. _Now all that is left it to win the dilettante Queen's compassion. Then my worries will be reduced by one._

"Do you have any idea how many people like them come here every week, seeking money for making no efforts, Miriadel?"- Raythor shook his head with disapproval once the mother-daughter duo was behind the closed doors. "The least we could do is check their backgrounds and the authenticity of their so called 'disadvantaged' situations-"

"Raythor, I'm not doing what I do for the sake of my own opinion and calculations. I'm following my daughter's orders."- the redhead explained calmly, yet coldly. "The Queen cares for her people; she'll continue to help them no matter how hard or peculiar it seems to you and the Mage! Once Coronia and Meridian become one, it will become even more radical. Better get used to it."

Raythor's face tightened, but he didn't twitch in his boiling anger. What was this woman even talking about? When had he said that people shouldn't be helped? All he had said was that there needs to be at least some sort of control over who enters the palace and Throne Room...

"For the love of Metamoor, Miriadel, they could've been armed! They could have ill intentions. It's our job to make sure that no such people are to come near the Queen- "

"The Queen can take care of herself. Better than any of us."- the woman interrupted him again. "Besides, ill intentions are born in those who have been mistreated. Elyon doesn't want any resident of this kingdom to ever be mistreated again. I stand with my daughter in this. There must be fairness and justice for everyone."

Vexed, Raythor shook his head and decided to walk away. What was the point of arguing with someone who lived with the false perceptions that everyone can be made happy at the same time? Miriadel and her husband were fools, and Queen Elyon was setting way too high, impossible goals for herself.

* * *

Miranda hadn't made it to the Throne Room to lose time. She took one last look at the child that stood beside her and reminded her of herself so very much. She had to swallow back many things and she had gotten to know baseness for over two decades now, but for Mancy... For Mancy she had to go even beyond all her past sins. Miranda wasn't someone with a coincidence to begin with. She was carrying her ''evil'' label with pride and a head raised high. Be as it may, times for being prideful had never managed to come for her, and now, now she was ready to sink _even lower._

"Good morning."- the Queen's voice announced the arrival of her Majesty. She had just come in the Throne Room, dressed in pale green traditional royal robes, adorned with gold. Her hair was still wet- apparently, she was coming from the royal lavatory.

"My mother said that you guys are here to talk about your oil sales and the lack of customers lately? Here's what I'll do, I'll buy all your goods. The gold will help you live normally for a few more weeks until Meridian can afford new funds for the needy. How does that sound?"

Miranda gifted the young woman with a contemptuous look. Once the dunce had been utterly clueless, even when it came to who worked for her, and now she was acting like she owned the world. Which she did, in fact. The shifter made a face behind her shall. But then again, ten years had sure helped change the naïve girl from Earth at least to an extent where she could manage the simplest of functions that a Queen had. Ten years changed so very much, including her own perceptions and stance...

"Excuse me, Mrs...What was your name again? You never told me."- Elyon repeated and then aimed her attention at the little girl, who had unveiled her head. "Your daughter...she seems familiar. You worked here, didn't you? But you were orphaned...Mancy. You're that spy!"- she suddenly shot, but before she could continue, Miranda interrupted her by clapping her hands in a slow, mocking fashion.

"Bravo, Elyon. Her Majesty really does take great care of her subjects and pays attention to each and every one of them. I'm almost impressed."

Elyon stared at the woman in perplexity. That voice, that voice was so familiar...

"You..."- she began in shock. "You're alive...Miranda!"

At that point the criminal took the shall off. Her awry smile made the other woman's blood boil. So, Miranda had fooled them into believing she had died! It had all been a deceit to escape prison! She was going to pay for that, now that she had had the foolery to come to the Palace!

"You evil creature, you made a big mistake by bringing your pathetic self in front of eyes! This time I won't spare you!"- Elyon raised her hand, ready to blast the shifter, who just calmly retorted:

"Really, Elyon? We were friends once and now you threaten to kill me? But don't you want to hear me out first? I'm pretty sure that the information which I have for you is worth hearing?"

"We were never friends, liar!"- Elyon growled and glared daggers at the shifter. Time hadn't changed her one bit. Not her looks, that were now those of a woman in her early twenties, nor the cunning impudence that all her features just exuded. "What information could you possibly have for me? And why would you want to share anything with me to begin with? You must want something. What's your connection to the spy girl, anyway?"

"Woah, Elyon, slow down. So many questions and so much anger. And here I was, thinking that your engagement will have made you less neurotic and strained."- Miranda mused and flashed her another glib half-smile. Elyon barely managed to stop herself from blasting her like a fly against the wall." I'll tell you everything, but you have to keep it down. If someone else finds out that I'm here, I'm going back to the dungeons and so is the vital information that I know. If I get back behind the bars of that dump, I won't confide even a word to you and that's not good for Meridian, trust me."

"Trust you?!"- the Queen snapped. "Are you listening to yourself? I'd much rather trust a lion not to claw me and a cobra not to bite me, than trust you! You're the biggest, most disgusting liar I've ever known!"

An unpleasant smile spilled over Miranda's face as she looked down at her daughter and then back at the Queen, only to realize that she was doing the same thing. She was moving those big, gray-blue eyes of hers, looking between them, obviously impatient to know the truth.

_I'll tell you the truth_, Miranda thought._ But it won't be for free. When I'm done here, I'll have at least a part of what I've wanted over the last decade. Once you grant me my wish, I'll be free to move on._

"Elyon, you're right. I am a cheat and a bad person."- she said simply. "And I'm not here because I want to help you and your forlorn kingdom. Naturally, I want to help myself and more importantly, my offspring. Or rather, my daughter. Mancy is my daughter."- the dark-haired woman said, to Elyon's shock.

"Your daughter?!"- she gasped and looked at the child, that returned the glance coldly. "She's your daughter?! But how? When did- "

"Ten years ago, when I ''died'', I was pregnant. "- Miranda started explaining. "That was why I could effortlessly appear dead. You see, when people of my kind are expecting, they gain the ability of shutting all their vital indicators off. The breathing, the heartbeat- everything. That's how we've managed to preserve ourselves over the centuries. I simply had to play dead and your soldiers took me out of the dungeons on their own. They threw my body out, in a ravine a little more than 30 minutes away from the Palace. I spent the next ten years mainly living in the wild, like my ancestors. I gave birth to Mancy and started raising her in different lairs- I was doing good for myself, we had a normal life. Once she became mature enough, I had her sent to the Palace, as an orphan, where I knew that your kind heart would instantly take her in the staff. Everything was fine for a long while...all until Cedric broke out of prison too, a couple of months ago."

"Cedric..."- Elyon murmured with disgust. "Is he..."

"Cedric is Mancy's father, yes."- Miranda confirmed and went on, ignoring Elyon's repulsed expression. "When Leonida and Phobos broke him out of his cell, I hoped that he'll eventually overthrow them and manage to think of us first. I foolishly hoped that he'll use your stupid brother to gain power and make our lives better, but that never happened. Cedric's loyalty to Phobos disgusts me, he made it clear that he'll never be anything but a pawn in the prince's hands! He didn't care about me or our daughter, he even made Mancy a pivotal part of Phobos's initial plan by making her spy for him and that crazy princess! He risked our daughter's life for Phobos's sake! I closed my eyes many times and pretended that it was all natural and fine, I pretended to agree that we weren't meant for greater deeds, that we were _creatures_ and not royals...I agreed with all of Cedric's deranged opinions, because I still felt something for him. I felt something for him, but now anymore. When Nerissa threatened Mancy's life and Cedric still couldn't put us before Phobos, I made up my mind."

"That was you...The person who surprised Nerissa and made it off with the spy."- Elyon realized, remembering the events from the day of her fake wedding. Will and Raythor had told her about a mysterious figure that interfered and helped the shapeshifters escape the setting where they had been expected to be jailed again. It all made sense now. But still, what was Miranda saying?! Was she betraying her daughter's father?

"Yes."- the woman repeated and looked down at her daughter again." That event was the turning point of our relationship. I realized that he's not capable of supporting a family. That's why I tricked him into surrendering."- she admitted darkly.

"You made him surrender?!'- Elyon was shocked. "He did that for you and yet you're here to betray him _again_? Wow, Miranda, you don't fail to amaze me with how low you can sink, each time!"

"Hey, listen up here, Ms. Perfect."- Miranda snapped back. "Back when you were a marionette of your brother's, you weren't exactly flying in the skies of loyalty and grace either! Remember how you betrayed and tormented your friends?"

"It's not the same!"- Elyon insisted angrily.

"Still! Weren't you listening? Even when Cedric agreed to surrender for me and Mancy, he was doing it to help his precious prince! He wants to be with him and display his loyalty, and that's why he instantly agreed to my suggestion! He wants to work for your brother, because of their childhood, but I don't have anything to bind me to that egoistical brat! Neither does my daughter. I only have her and I want the best for her! That's why I'm here. I have information which you need, and you can do me a favor which _I_ need. It's just a deal, Elyon."- Miranda lowered her voice angrily. "You decide whether you want it or not."

Elyon crossed her arms on her chest. That was a twist which no one had expected for sure. But Miranda looked sincere for the first time in her life. A deal with someone like her was usually a terrible idea, but then again...hearing her out wasn't deprived of worth...

"How do I know that you're not just bluffing?"- the Queen finally asked and looked down at her foe as if she was a piece of shit. "Can you assure me that the information which you have will be beneficial to me at all? And what is it that you want so badly, that made you desperate enough to ever come here? I can imprison both you and your daughter in a second, if I wanted to!"

"You can certainly do that."- Miranda smiled darkly. "But think wisely, Elyon. We both now that the ''home arrest'' thing that Phobos and Leonida are currently under, is not a permanent solution. Regardless of the authorities supervising them, they're not going to be blocked there forever. They're still plotting against you and the guardians. One day, Leonida will give birth to that baby and then what? I think that you should know more about the _consequences_ of that. But in the end, it's your decision. You may send me to prison or even kill me, for you can't stand me, and choose to be more vigilant. You may think that you have your enemies under your thumb and move on with your life, but that little piece of philosopher stone that can help you deal with the inevitable turn of things, won't be with you. If you chose to be arrogant and presuming, you might as well lose from your brother. And when the Light of Meridian gets extinguished, no good shall follow."- the woman finished her eerie warning and just shrugged innocently. "Your choice, oh my Queen."

Elyon took a seat on her throne and faced the two shifters again. She was thinking feverishly as she observed them. They looked almost believable, but also, quite desperate and she couldn't deny it. Pure desperation had brought the cunning Miranda to her Palace and now she had to decide what to do with her. Miranda had sure caused a lot of trouble and pain over the years, but then again, Phobos was a much bigger morsel...

"Name your price, Miranda."- Elyon said in the end. "I won't be buying your oils, but I might buy that vital information which you claim to have. What do you want? Gold? Jewels? Freedom?"

"Freedom, I already have, Elyon. I'll be grateful if you simply let me keep what I have."- the other woman retorted brazenly.

The blonde knitted her brows in irritation:

"Fine, but don't expect not to be thrown in prison if you get caught breaking the law. I'll let you live in the wild and I won't look for you, but you won't torment my people, steal from them or cause any other form of trouble, got that?"

"As you order, your Majesty."- Miranda said in a voice that even she herself didn't find believable. "But forget about me. I want a different kind of favor from you."

Elyon, who was already regretting her decision to negotiate with the villain, raised a brow:

"And what would that be?"

"First, I want all of today to remain between us. You won't tell anyone that I've been here. I want people to keep thinking of me as deceased. Secondly, I want you to send Mancy across the veil. I want her to have a new, ordinary life. In Heatherfield."

* * *

_**Heatherfield, Galgheita Rudolph's house, 2:15 PM**_

"Orube, I'm so sorry that we horn in on you like that, but Mrs. Rudolph's old home is the best place to hold this meeting right now. With all the drama and things that we're going through."- Taranee said in an apologetic tone as she walked through the threshold. "The restaurant is packed and there are extra people at all of our houses."

"Taranee, why are you even apologizing. This is you guys' house. Besides, it used to be your headquarters."- the Basidillian stood by the stairs graciously holding her hands in the pockets of her jeans. "Also, I'd love to attend another guardian meeting with you after so much time."

The Fire guardian smiled at her friend before getting busy in the kitchen, where the table was already set. She wasn't planning on preparing another big dinner like the one she had cooked the night when Will's admitting in hospital has thwarted everything, but she still had soft drinks, wine and some snacks ready. Apart from everything which they needed to discuss about their latest discoveries on Coronia and the whole situation in the Metaworld, Taranee and her friends were planning on enlightening Will on her father's case. The topic was delicate and they weren't sure how their leader would take it- she had recovered surprisingly fast after her miscarriage, but her mental state wasn't yet quite in check. Will was gloomier and distant; however, she had somehow brought it to acceptable levels. Whether it was because she hadn't known she had been pregnant, or just because she was exceptionally strong, Will was gradually returning to her normal self. Taranee just hoped that breaking the news about Tony to her wouldn't reset all that progress.

The dark-skinned woman was just putting more sweets in a plate (for some reason she was acting more and more like the mother of the group; maybe because she had always liked good organization), when the main entrance door was slammed open. Hearing the carping greeting that the new-arrival fired at Orube, Taranee knew that Irma had arrived. When would she stop teasing their warrior friend, was beyond her. Even at 24, Irma was still referring to her as "Grumpy Puss". Taranee rolled her eyes and prayed for patience. By some miracle, this time the Latina was first to show up for the meeting.

_Good_, the fire guardian thought and pushed her glasses back. _I've been meaning to talk to her ever since we went to silence the riot on Coronia._

"My name's Ralph, and I'm the bad guy."- Irma announced and slammed her bag on the kitchen table before collapsing on one of the chairs.

"Huh?"

"Just did a segment called ''45 ways to say Hello" on the radio this morning. Guess I just found out who doesn't listen to her friend's station at all."- Irma remarked sourly, as she absently tapped her cheek with her long nails. "Fake friend poppin' cookies over here."

"You know I give my dancing lessons for preteens at "Jensen's" on Wednesdays."- Taranee defended herself. She proceeded to pouring Irma a glass of lemonade.

"On Wednesdays we wear pink."- the water-witch mocked the other woman and her pink pullover. "Get lost with that lemonade, give me some of the good stuff! I spy chardonnay next to the sink."

Taranee looked at her a little distrustfully, but fulfilled the request.

"So, Irma."- she began casually. "What's been going on with you lately? Anything interesting? You seem a little off these last days."

"Who, me? I don't know what you're talking about, Tara. I'm doing just fine."

Taranee stopped for a second, pinning the other woman, who tried to escape her eyes, with a critical glance. She was trying to see through her words:

"_Stephen_?"- she then gasped. "Is this about who I think it is?"

"I hate when you do that!"- Irma growled. She hadn't raised the mental wall around her thoughts on time and the other guardian has sensed them with her telepathic powers. This time it had been just a word, but unfortunately, enough for Taranee to put two and two together.

"I can't believe you, Irma! Tell me everything right now!"- she demanded and gave her shoulder a shove of disapproval. "How can you be upset over that guy again; you were 17 when he shamelessly put you on the shelf!"

"I'm not upset!"- Irma spat and crossed her arms on her chest. "Okay, maybe a little. But it's not what you think- "

"Irma, please."- Taranee placed her hand on her friend's knee and looked at her seriously. "You can't still be thinking about him. I know that you liked him a lot, but we were kids back then. You have Martin now. Martin is a great guy who loves you more than any of your previous men! You're making great for yourself- you work like a pro and you have love. Please, don't ruin your life because of that...that scapegrace!"

"Oh, _pah-lease_ Tara, can you not give me a lecture on how to appreciate the guys in our life, who really love us! You of all people, the babe who needed months to stop resenting her dead-ass perfect boyfriend for being genuinely interested in what many would run away like mad from!"

Irma's outburst seemed to have made Taranee feel bad. Having realized she had been too harsh, the Latina put her hand on top of hers:

"Babe, sorry, I didn't mean it- "

"No, you're right. I was such a bitch to him and it was uncalled-for."- Taranee sighed. "Maybe, I really shouldn't be giving you advice...I just want the best for you, Irma. You're one of my best girlfriends..."

"No, it wasn't uncalled for, it was your way of coping with the changes. Nigel knows it and so does everyone else, your reaction was pure human."- Irma interrupted her. "I also want the best for you. Look, I know that Stephen doesn't deserve me to be upset because of him and I'm really not. I'm not upset because I still have feelings for him or because I can't get over the fact that he dumped me."

"Then?"

Irma made a pause as she thought of the best way to formulate her next sentence:

"Bumping into him as one of the potential sponsors for my radio had me reflect on many things. He was totally friendly and acted normal, by now he has long forgotten what we had...He's married and has a kid."

"Really?"-Taranee raised her eyebrows in wonderment. "I've never expected of him to settle down that young. Good for him."

"Yes, that's what I said. But remembering my time with Stephen made me think of all my past relationships and how I treated Martin like crap for so much time."- the water-witch admitted ruefully. "The guy has been into me ever since...I don't even know anymore. Fifth grade, sixth grade? He has liked me forever. And even though I started accepting that and even started liking him back by the summer of our first year as guardians, I never gave him a chance up until I had no other options... Why did I do that, Tara? Deep in my heart I knew that he's special, but I always went for all these...these jerks! Andrew Hornby, Joel, Stephen, Drake- "

"Excuse me?!"- the Fire guardian interrupted her in shock. "Drake?! As in Drake, Caleb's friend?! When the heck did that happen?"

Irma bit her lip and made a guilty face:

"Ooops."- she laughed nervously. "I forgot, only Corny knew about my fling with him...Anyway, that's not the point! What I'm trying to say is, talking to Stephen made me realize what a ruthless, shallow bitch I've been for years! I knew that Martin pretty much loves me, but I chose to take him for granted instead of responding to his feelings like a normal girl! I always thought that I could do better and that I could always go to him if that "better" opportunity didn't work out. And in the end, I did just that... I'm a terrible person."

"Don't be so hard on yourself."- Taranee said with concern. "Look, I'm not trying to put salt in the fresh wound or anything, but...you've been okay with that ever since now. And it's fine, there's nothing wrong in having numerous relationships over the years of your maturing. What exactly in your conversation with Stephen, made you reflect on everything from this angle?"

Irma exhaled and closed her eyes.

"Because I remembered. I remembered that Stephen, who I pretty much had the biggest plans for the future with, couldn't make amends with my secret. My guardian identity was what made him leave me, I'm sure of it. And then there was Martin, who accepted the news so very positively and open-mindedly, once again proving that he's the man for me. And yet, it took me years to admit that to him and myself. I'm terrible, all I've ever done is burden, hurt and use him, and he still accepts me. I must have done great deeds in a past life, Tara, I'm telling you. Because in this life I've been nothing but a bitch when it comes to love."

Taranee felt torn. She wanted to comfort her friend and laugh at the same time. A part of her still thought that this was just another of the Latina's jokes, maybe because seeing her in such a situation was so unlike her. Irma, on the verge of tears because of a moral dilemma, was so surreal. But then again, Taranee was mature and considerate enough to understand that in the moment, the water guardian could really use some words of comfort and reassurance. After all, even the most cheerful people had bad days. Irma did too, just typically never about something like this. Taranee hugged her and tenderly patted her back:

"You've been doing great deeds in this life too, silly. You're a guardian. You save people and help entire worlds all the time. Don't bring yourself down like that. You deserve to be loved and appreciated, because you're a giver."

"No, I'm not! I'm a selfish cunt!"- Irma sobbed on her shoulder. "I'm not talking about the guardian stuff and still...even then, I'm lazy and I often thwart the group. Corny has a right to criticize me, because I act flippantly up until the moment the situation becomes really bad-"

"That's just your nature, you're a fun, light-hearted person, but that doesn't stop you from being a terrific guardian, nor does it make you a "selfish cunt". Calm down, Irma. Martin knows how much you appreciate him and what matters is what you're doing now, not before. Besides, you've never really hurt him, you just needed some time to comprehend and accept his feelings for you. That's absolutely normal-"

"Yeah right, I haven't hurt him! What about when I got jealous of his French penpal Michele and broke them up, even though I was dating Joel? Or when I slept with Drake, even though I had already agreed to be Martin's prom date?"

_Oh, brother_, Taranee thought. Her friend had obviously fallen into an emotional hole of some sort. And while the fire guardian sincerely sympathized with her feelings, she secretly wished that Irma had chosen another time to unlock her sensitive side. Right now, they had enough problems as it was, and many of them were urgent.

"I'll man up, don't worry."- Irma said as if having read her mind. She pulled back and wiped her eyes. "I know what's wrong with me. I'm on my period, that's all!"

"Irma if you need to talk about your inner turmoil, I'll always be there for you."- Taranee said seriously. "It's OK to be vulnerable at times, it's just that- "

"I know, I know. Forget about it, Tara, nobody died, right? I'll be just fine. But speaking of the _UN_dead... I know that what we have to tell Will requires a lot of zeal and patience, and I'm still tense about it. I hope that hearing her dad has only pretended to be dead won't crush her. She's been through so much already..."

Taranee nodded earnestly. One of Irma's traits that were to be admired was the ability to drop her own problems in the name of a friend's welfare. She was so much more valiant than she gave herself credit for. Taranee smiled at her friend, but she also knew- that which was to come was going to be neither pleasant, nor easy to carry out.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, the rest of the guardians had already arrived and had taken their places around the table in the old house's kitchen. Each and every one of them had different reasons to turn down housing their meeting, but they were relieved to have access to their former math teacher's house, where the guardian cases could be discussed without the disturbance of family, guests and third parties.

Cornelia was feeding her son while Hay Lin was trying to lighten up the setting with her usual cheerful utterances. It wasn't really doing much, ever since they had returned from Coronia, things were more than tense.

Will was just nodding at her friend's words without even hearing. Hay Lin was talking about the school and the very next charity she and Eric had decided to be a part of. Or something like that, Will wasn't exactly paying attention. She was more open than the previous days, but she was still unready to act like her usual self again.

Taranee stole a glimpse of her. With all that she was going through and the rather disturbing analysis that Nerissa had made, her concern for the redhead grew in a break-neck velocity. The fire guardian could still hear the ex-guardian's words from a few nights ago, ringing in her ears:

_"The Heart's not your friend when your soul and mind are obstructed by hurt, grief and anger. On a personal basis, especially. You must look after her. A minute of inattention on your part as her girlfriends, and poor little Will will be labeled Kandrakar's very next, corrupted by power, traitress."_

Nerissa, herself, was at the basement. She was just finishing with fortifying the protecting spells around the portal to Meridian. The fact that a new personality was now living in the house, asked for it. The sorceress hadn't been thrilled when she had been told that a person from Kandrakar and an old ally of the guardians, was to now live in Galgheita's house. _She_ had been the one to find this place back in the day! What if the old kangaroo had paid the mortgage with her teacher salary, a job that _she_ had helped her find?! Many seemed to forget or pretend not to remember her merits.

Now the house's deed was on the name of W.I.T.C.H, but still. The least they could have done was ask her whether she was OK with their so-called friend residing here.

_Inconsiderate little clods_, Nerissa thought as she fixed the edges of her white leather jacket. But then again, who cared about that kind of heed nowadays. Especially with all that was going on.

Nerissa turned around on her heel. She could swear that someone was watching her. A pair of inquiring eyes somewhere from up the staircase. Someone had been watching her, aright, but the minute she had turned to face the ajar door, the spy had momentarily and silently vanished. Just like that. It couldn't be any of the guardians as it didn't make sense- none of them cared about what she was doing with the portal, up until now that kind of trust, at least, had been built between them.

Moreover, she wasn't really up to anything that was worth the inquiring right now. She was fortifying the portal against foreign interference and...

_Of course_, the ex-guardian realized in her thoughts. _That Kandrakar apprentice...Of course, she's sent here with an agenda. Kandrakar's prowling manners have never been ingenious nor delicate. But if they feel the need to keep an eye on me from up-close, they'll have to do better than that._

She teletransported right in front of the basement door and threw a victorious look at the corner where she had expected to find Orube. To her disappointment, there was no one there. The hallway was empty and silent. The only sounds were coming from the kitchen, where there was suddenly another riot going on!

Nerissa frowned and headed for the place where the noise was coming from. Her white, reaching to the shin boots, rapped on the floor as she walked. Before going in the kitchen, she stopped once more and looked behind her back.

_You may have escaped confrontation this time, you little kitten, but I know that you take in interest in what I do. Be careful. Next time, the door may catch your tail._

* * *

"Will, please calm down!"- Taranee cried inside the kitchen. She had stood up from her chair and was desperately trying to get the redhead to return to hers. Hay Lin and Irma had stopped her at the backdoor.

"What the devil is- "- but one look from Cornelia made her shut up. She already knew what had happened. Nerissa closed her mouth and estimated her next words for a short second:

"I know that the situation is aggravating, Will, but look at it from the bright side. At least your father isn't dead. You were so very sad back in the summer, do not follow that state with anger. Because it's pointless."

Taranee glared at the ex-guardian, who had spoken bluntly. How darn inconsiderate could she get? But Will had turned around to face her:

"Anger? I'm not angry, I'm absolutely incensed!"- she yelled. "I mourned and cried for a man who faked his death! I suffered a miscarriage because of my father's bulshit and his _crimes_! What do I care that he's alive after what I went through because of him? I should've known better! He has always been like that! Mom was right about him all along. I'd rather he was _dead_!"

"Will, you don't mean that."- Hay Lin said quietly. "Please, calm down, this is unhealthy for your current state- "

"I do mean it, Hay Lin!"- the keeper shook her head bitterly. "If he had really died, at least I wouldn't hate him now! I would have cherished our good memories. And now that I know the truth, I can't think of Tony Vandom without cursing him in my mind! You have no idea what it's like to hate your own father!"

"Will, you know a part of the truth."- Cornelia interjected as she gave her baby to Nerissa and walked over to her friend. "Don't forget what we told you. Serena might as well have a lot to do with this. That sketchy officer Alexis too. All that is happening now has been triggered by someone, and I bet my head that it's them!"

"Yeah, Will! I know how hard it is to be rational in a time when all your feelings and senses scream inside you.'"- Taranee shared. "But we don't know the entire story behind what your dad did. What if he did all that to protect you and your mom?"

The idea of that possibility seemed to soothe the redhead at least a little bit. Finally, she wiped her eyes dry and heavily slumped into her chair again.

"For fair, the only way you can truly be sure of what to think and feel is by seeking answers from first person."- Nerissa's advice came sounding indifferent, yet tempting. "Use your powers. Use them to track your father down and _demand_ the truth. You can do that now that you've been keeper of the Heart for so long."

"We're not supposed to use our powers for personal reasons."- Will murmured.

Nerissa rolled her eyes:

"Hasn't that ship sailed?"

"Never mind. I'll think about it. Back to the urgent questions. Guys, please."- she added when she saw Cornelia who was about to try talking more sense into her.

"I'm grateful for all your concern and even the advice, but I'd really rather take my mind away from all this bs right now. Let's talk guardian business. Just...please."

Her friends looked at each other and nodded. Nerissa fixed her grandson's pacifier and gently flickered her eyelids in agreement. She demonstrated reticence, yet she carefully observed the stages of emotional catharsis and the changes her replacement was going through. Will seemed to be doing better, tangibly better than on the night of the riot. But still...it was rather too early to conclude whether she had resisted darkness for good.

"Right. Back to the Coronian royal family whose lies get fatter and juicer every other day."- Irma got ahead with the topic. "What do we decide about the skeleton?"

"That was honestly so scary. A side of Coronia we've never seen before."- Hay Lin shivered. "Even with all the monsters, evil princesses and everything...The golden film that everything there has, had never before disappeared in front of our eyes like that."

"Tell me about it. They're so fake."- Cornelia crossed her arms on her chest. "Each time some new atrocity about them re-surfaces, I get more and more annoyed. Honesty is definitely something they do _not_ know."

"Gee, does that make you feel sorry that you pushed us so hard and accused us of trying to ruin Elyon's relationship, a few months ago?"- Irma didn't miss the chance to tease her.

"That's different."- Cornelia declared. "Elyon and Andan have had sparks flying between them from the very beginning. I did it for her happiness. That has nothing to do with his crazy family and all their drama-"

"In the world of royals, Corny, the crazy family drama and the groom come in package, so go figure."

"We can't blame them for being dishonest anymore though. Andan is proven clueless and both of his parents are not available..."- Taranee stated. "Magana has been a black rose for months now. That's how things turned out to be then ... everything was too fast and secret, and she didn't have time to trust us. I am sure that if she were among us now, she would help us deal with all the problems coming from her kingdom."

"Does a woman who keeps a skeleton in a creepy secret room look like someone who trusts people, Taranee?"- Cornelia was skeptic. "Magana and her daughter are both deranged and even their people know it. I'm hoping that once Coronia falls under Elyon's reign, we will no longer have to worry about the realm. Because I'm sick of them!"

"Then there's Phobos and Leonida and the baby that they're expecting."- Hay Lin mused. "What's going to happen with them? They're criminals, but that child is innocent."

"They're locked for now and that's all that matters. I too don't think that they'll ever stop trying to conquer realms and tyrannize them, but I'm more concerned about that room in the Coronian palace."- Will said. "I don't know, I just think that we should get to the bottom of it before Elyon actually takes the management of the kingdom in her hands. I get that the people are desperate for a Queen, because they fear that their lives will wither otherwise, but that whole entire room and everything about it makes me restless. It almost looks like some cult ritual- "

The others stared at her. At that point, the young woman was sure that they were considering whether her mental state was making her think of such things. But come on! Will was getting angry. Her friends should've been able to sense what she had sensed back then. That immense oppression and the dark feeling when they entered...And that moving portrait that still brought chills down her spine...

"Well, we already tried to deduct what the point of everything in there is, and why only Dua can open it, but we ended up deadlocked."- Taranee murmured as she loaded the picture she had taken of the phantom door on her phone. "This writing remains unknown; nobody could translate it. Not even the Council, which discourages me."

Nerissa snorted at that, but it remained undetected. Everyone knew her opinion on the sages of Kandrakar. But she didn't allow herself to belittle them this time, because she too failed to understand the writings. Despite the long hours she spent in the Mage tower with all the ancient books...

"Plus, Will, the Oracle was pretty clear when he said that if Elyon doesn't take things in her hands soon, Coronia will face mayhem."- Hay Lin said with concern.

Will didn't answer to that. Himerish had provoked her back during their short audience in the fortress after returning from the golden realm. He had undoubtedly sensed her inner turmoil, but she had chosen not to answer to anything. His prognosis and words on their situation, were as usual, vague.

"He also said that everything is on our hands."- she reminded them.

"He always says that, because we're the _gUardians_ and he's just supervising, blah-blah, fate can't be altered by anyone, but actions can, blah!"- Irma lounged back in the uncomfortable wooden chair and put her hands behind her head. "He's never going to give us clear instructions, no matter how hard and dire our mission is."

"No, I do agree with Will."- Nerissa said and that was a paradox by itself. All five set of eyes turned to her.

"Here's something we don't hear every day."- Irma rested her elbows against the surface on the table.

"That room does have a dark aura."- the ex-guardian went on, ignoring the water-witch. "But for us to determine its true purpose and meaning, we'll need the guidance of someone older and more experienced."

"Older than you? Who the heck would that be? Moses?"

"We haven't said that we don't agree with Will."- Taranee called in, but Nerissa finished her utterance, pretending not to hear or notice both of them:

"It's been many years since then, but I still remember from the time spent with the ancient Mage. Before she...before she expired."- Nerissa coughed and turned to Taranee. Her accusatory glare bothered her: "You may "agree" with her, but evidently the four of you don't see the big need for the truth behind a particular room to be uncovered. You're more concerned about the more _global_ consequences and their prevention, but that's absolutely normal, because the four elements always strive to do just that. The four elements are more or less supporting columns, as were the ancient dragons. The fifth guardian is the one who sees that chink which can lead to mass disaster, if neglected. And in this case, the chink in Coronia's outer shell is that room."

"Alright already, oh wise one, what were you saying about someone even wiser who can help with that "chink". You really like that word, don't you."- Irma smirked. "The ancient Mage? But you killed her, she can't help, of what help is that- "

"I did not... Anyways."- Nerissa hissed and narrowed her eyes. That girl and her gigantic mouth were too much for her at times. "Reasse was omnipotent and truly clever. She was one of the most brilliant magic users that have existed over the last couple of centuries. Yet each time she was in a need of a second opinion or advice, she went to Aram."

"And Aram is?"

Nerissa gently fondled her sleeping grandson's little cheek before replying:

"Reasse's elder brother. The one who designed the Infinite City."

"Wait, what?!"- Cornelia exclaimed. "The original Mage had a brother?"

"How's that possible, I thought that she was the last vessel of the ancient empire."- Will added.

Seeing the mass confusion that her statement had created, the dark-haired guardian was quick to nod her head and explain:

"She was. The ancient empire has been ancient history for decades. Therefore, Aram is long not among us. He's a ghost. Reasse sought the advice of her brother's ghost. And he never disappointed. How is he going to be of assistance to us, you'll ask? Well. For the fifth guardian, there's always more than one way to bend the laws of living."

As she watched her future mother in-law smile in a winsome fashion, Cornelia contemplated the idea, slightly irked by all the big words spoken in praise for the "fifth" guardian. As the guardian of Earth, that almost offended her on a personal level. They were all equally important and her element was definitely not to be underestimated! Then she turned to the others. Taranee nodded tentatively. However, it was Will's statement that was decisive enough to close the topic:

"We'll do it. We'll do whatever we need to contact that Aram and shed light on that room."

* * *

_**Meridian, Gray Woods, morning time**_

Aldarn was thrilled with his position as guard in the village near Gray Wood Mines. The village which was specially isolated for the purpose of keeping Phobos under control in one of the rest houses. Many came and went through the days, traveling around Meridian to do their job and returning for their shifts, but the young galhot and his father were living in the village for a month now.

They were the Evil Prince's permanent superintendents, together with all the spells and Kandrakar's watch that made sure that Phobos and his two snide allies will not manage escaping. It had been a month living here, but honestly, Aldarn didn't mind at all.

After all he and his people, his family and all his friends(and fellow rebels) had gone through because of him, after all they had suffered, being able to feel superior to the tyrant was more than delightful. Being able to humiliate and spit in his face was also uplifting. No matter how many years passed, the young man would never forget the fear, the pain and grid. His lost childhood and his mother, who had disappeared during one of Phobos's merciless actions.

_I grew up in war time and without a mother because of you, royal rod_, Aldarn thought as he walked on his way to the house where the villains were held. _Now that you're in my hands, I'll make every day you spend in this joke of a jail, insufferable._

Phobos was sitting on the front porch, collecting the winter sun, most unperturbed. Despite it all, he was still refusing to show humility and why would he? Aldarn clenched his teeth as he stood before him. This place was more of a resort than a prison. And why? Just because he was going to be a father?

_Big deal_, the galhot thought angrily._ So many expecting parents lived much more miserably during his reign. Why should he get luxury after all his gruesome deeds?_

"Why are you casting your ugly shadow over me, if I may know?"- Phobos said rudely, shooting the young man a semi-bored, semi-annoyed glance. "Can you not see that I'm trying to soak in some vitamin D? Is this supposed to be my breakfast?"- the prince added, having spied the bowl in the rebel's hands. "It was high time. You may leave it here and walk the tracks!"

"Yes, this is the breakfast prepared for you. If you eat Leonida's again instead, I will hang you upside down and beat you with a stick. Queen's orders."- Aldarn retorted gruffly and plonked the bowl in Phobos's hands.

Phobos made a face:

"Well, I'm awfully sorry that you only serve me garbage. I had but a fruit or two from her tray, maybe if you didn't bring me this ghastly _horse porridge_ every day, I wouldn't have done that. "

"She's pregnant, prince _Phobdump_. With your child. Maybe you can think of that instead of your selfish arse, for once. That's why she gets more nutritious things. If that wasn't so, she would've been eating the same as you and your reptile friend."- Aldarn looked down and his unruffled face with hatred. "Besides, you had humbled quite a lot during your ten years in prison and ate much worse than this. Why act all so fastidious now, you think that you'll get something better? You won't. In fact, I suggest you enjoy your stay here as much as you can. Because after that baby is born, you'll sure be sentenced much severely. The way you deserve it. Even the Underwater Mines will look like heaven to you when the day of the Last Judgement knocks on your door. Then you'll be dreaming of a bowl of porridge, but there isn't going to be anyone to give you even a glass of water!"

_You're so very wrong, my green buster. I just have to endure you until my stupid sister ties the knot. Then the Day of the Last Judgment will soar upon all of you._

Phobos watched him leave with a wrinkle of odium that formed between his brows. All these wretches appeared to be overconfident now, belittling him and daring to insult him with everything they could, but soon a day would come when they'd all pay for their insolence.

"What the dickens?!"- Phobos spat and started coughing violently. The bowl fell to the floor, splashing its contents all over the porch. He felt like his entire gullet was on fire. It was a disgusting feeling.

"Oh, I almost forgot."- Aldarn turned around with a smug grin, holding the metal water mug that Phobos was desperately reaching for. He couldn't grab a hold of it, however, for the other man was standing behind the invisible enchanted line that the prisoners couldn't cross. "I mashed some special herbs into your breakfast this morning so that you could relax. You're awfully noisy, you know... I might have overdosed a little."

"You...you _poisoned_ me!"- the prince wheezed between the coughs. His knees buckled.

"How I wish."- the galhot laughed. "You may have loose stools after this, but that's about it."

Watching the villain suffer made him feel elation. Suppressing the urge to kick him in the guts, the young galhot just lowered his gaze to the water which Phobos yenned for:

"Sorry, Your Highness."- Aldarn splashed the contents of the mug in his face. Phobos was finally down. Blackness was beginning to float in front of his eyes, and the cough attacks did not subside. "Told you. No one will be there to bring you a glass of water. Better get used to it from now."

With that, the former rebel walked away, leaving the former ruler in pangs. The day was cold and bright. There was barely any snow left around the Forests of Gray Mines, even though the winter was in its acme. Phobos was coughing his life out:

"My Liege! My Liege what's the matter?!"- Cedric came running through the front door, having heard his master's stridors. Having rationalized the situation, he quickly went back to the inside of the rest house and returned with a glass full of water.

"Did these low-lives put something in your food?"- Cedric dipped his finger in the spilled porridge, once Phobos put out his coughs with the water.

"Tarnal ginger!"- the shifter concluded after sniffing the food. "Its smell is faint, but for a stronger nose, it's there. When in big portions, it causes coughing and confusion...I bet it was Nerissa's idea! Curse that bitch."- Cedric hissed and smeared the porridge on the wooden platform. "Once over a hundred soldiers that were to go and support the rest of our army on the battlefield, during one of the bigger revolts organized by the darn rebels, came down with this. It took days for them to recover and we never found out how the tarnal ginger had ended up in their supper! Now that I think of it, it must have been her that did it! She managed to do quite a lot of damage while posing as a darn maid- "

"Spare me all the drivel, Cedric!"- Phobos, who had finally recovered his ability to talk, growled. His throat felt like it had been clawed, but at least he could breathe again. The cold fresh air filled his lungs, but nothing except revenge could calm his hatred down. A darn peasant had just assaulted him and caused him great inconvenience, which only fueled his thirst for blood and annihilation.

_Just let me sit on the throne again. Then you'll all see!_

"I'm tired of enduring all this, Cedric. I'm tired of waiting!"- the man crabbed as his friend helped him back to his feet. "How much more will I have to wait for my dunderheaded sister to make something as simple as taking the damn plunge!"

"Sire, keep it down. You know that we're being watched!"- Cedric whispered fearfully as he looked around himself.

Phobos kept his lips sealed, but the look which he gave him, made Cedric feel terribly understated and insignificant. It was as if he was telling him: '_Even you lost all valor and potential, which you once carried. You who I once considered a valuable addition to my future legacy. You're now completely devoid of worth.'_

"Prince Phobos."- Cedric spoke, unable to endure the cold disappointment anymore. It was time. It was time to prove that he hadn't given up just yet. "I have been meaning to tell you something."

It was now or never. He was going to fulfill his duties equally well. He was going to remain loyal, yet keep the word he had given Miranda too...At least Mancy deserved it. He had to.

"What?"- Phobos asked a little sharply. He had stopped at the door, on his way back inside.

Cedric gathered all his courage and dedication, and managed to utter:

"Over the years, I've been nothing but loyal to you. Except for that weak moment I had during the giga battle on Kandrakar, I've never double-crossed or betrayed you. I've always venerated you, my Liege and in spite of everything, I've barely ever asked for anything in return- "

"What exactly are you trying to say with that boring speech of yours?"- Phobos interrupted him.

"I'm saying that I've devoted my entire life to you, my prince and that I've always been grateful for your generosity, but I've never overstayed my welcomes-"

"As far as I can remember, your life was more than tragic before meeting me, you owe everything to me."- Phobos stated haughtily. "Withal, the last time you wanted something, you played me, Cedric. I shouldn't forget that while you may not be as mutinous as others, you still are capable of being treacherous."

Cedric looked down and said nothing. Just when he was getting ready for the prince to walk away and for himself to drop the topic, Phobos gave him a push. "What is it that you want? May it be worthwhile."

That gave the shifter hope. Their friendship could after all turn out to be strong enough to endure a lot. The fact that the prince was willing to fulfill a wish of his was evidence of that.

"I've known about this for a while now, sire, but I didn't know how to tell you up until now. During the time we were in the dungeons, I had a daughter."

_"What?!"_

"Now I want to do something for her."- the Lord went on, ignoring Phobos's natural reaction. "That's only possible with the help of your Highness. So, my Liege. What do you say? Will you help yet another young shifter have a future?"

* * *

**A/N: What did u think of the newest twists? Keep them feedbacks coming. :D See u soon!**

**stay happy, healthy& blessed  
**

**xoxo,  
jimelization**


	27. Ari's Foray

**Chapter 27: Ari's Foray**

_"...she, a guardian of the Heart and an unstoppable force for order, had just been bested by one ordinary farmer and his belt of borrowed tricks."_

* * *

The Veil was known to be a unique creation of powerful spells and energies, crafted by powerful spellcasters with many different abilities of their own. Kandrakar had raised the said mystic veiling around Meridian for the second time. The first time, they had encircled each and every single planet, every kingdom and place in the vicinity of the Metamoor, as to limit any evil that could spread from one place to another. Now, years later, when only Meridian and planet Earth were behind the divider's curtains, the other worlds were able to continue their international, political ways of life and communication. Kingdoms could exchange goods, knowledge, and develop better and more successful foreign economies.

Yes, there were many perks of being free of the divider, which many saw as a sentence to impoverishment. Even though the magical barriers were created with noble purposes, many suffered behind them and were more than happy that this time they had been spared from this kind of "protection". Most of the numerous worlds that were under Kandrakar's patronage (or at least those of them, neighbor to the Metamoor), had faced serious difficulties in the past, primarily because of Meridian. Now, as per usual, the nodal point in the galaxy district was having a crisis. A crisis which the Council of the Fortress of Infinity had decided to quarantine within the borders of Meridian. Thankfully, as most foreign rulers that had the sad disadvantage of being neighbors of the troubled realm sighed with relief.

Ari of Arkhanta was not one of those who had suffered because of Meridian's fate. As a matter of fact, during the years of the first veil, he had barely even acknowledged the existence of the almost adjacent realm, in spite of the fact that Meridian was pretty much-considered capital of the entire Metamoorian district, in the borders of which Arkhanta found itself. No, back then, the king had had problems of his own that had nothing to do with a psychotic prince terrorizing an entire planet. Thanks to his banshee and the wishes which she had granted him, Arkhanta had been organized for decades to come. Agriculture, health care, education, and all other sectors important to his people were at such a high level that no layer of society was interested in the foreign economy. And while Arkhanta couldn't boast about providing a fortune for each and every family, like Coronia, for example, inter-planetary relations were unlikely to ever be needed. Or so had Ari believed up until that Philip had come to his palace. Philip and his contradictions about new order in the Metamoor. Ari hadn't believed a word the strange prince had said. But after the disappearance of Asa **(in chapter 16)**, the former farmer had seen himself forced to become a part of this new conflict of interests that was arising in the Metamoor. He had to step in and make a statement. And since he had failed in doing that peacefully, thanks to the divider and Kandrakar's refusal to be bothered, he had taken manners in his hands.

The portal opened somewhere in the fields, which were naturally unknown to the foreign ruler. He had never before been on Meridian, but after more than a month of countless tries to break through the divider, and a portal had successfully opened, Ari didn't plan to waste any more time. His whole retinue, on horseback, successfully passed through the mystical blue portal. There were probably more than two hundred men, all trained to fight hand-to-hand and duel with all kinds of cold weapons. There were also ones to take care of Meridian Magic-Users, if Ari's discourteous claim for an audience with the Queen didn't produce the desired results.

One thing, however, was for sure- Ari was furious. The only thing stopping him from declaring war on Meridian at that moment were Kandrakar's guardians, to whom he was grateful. They were the ones that had saved his son from a life of catharsis, and hence he would always bow down to them, even if he sincerely hoped that they were still as righteous as he remembered them. Darn Phillip and his contradictive words... The King had not yet been able to contact them and hear their explanations of the unacceptable situation in which he and his people had been put without any justification. But nothing would stop him from bringing Asa back to where she belonged, and from claiming Arkhanta's neutrality in this entire madness with the Unified Dimensions. Neutrality, which he was ready to assert even with hostilities.

"The Meridian Palace is in that direction, your Majesty."- the royal navigator said as he approached Ari on his horse. "We go when you give the sign, King Ari."

Ari nodded solemnly and looked behind himself. His son's golden stallion lined up with his gracious auburn mare. Their horses were one of the most extraordinary and beautiful in the entire small army that had made its way to Meridian today.

"Maqi, my son."- Ari boomed. "Fear not. We will be given answers. We will get Asa back. By all means necessary."

Maqi, who had by now matured into a handsome, broad-shouldered levent*, nodded his head full of luscious sun-blond hair firmly.

"By all means, father. We shall fight till our last breath if we have to, but we're not to go back without Asa. Stand to, men! Gee up!"

* * *

"Tell me again, why is that Aram dude living on the bottom of a lake? I know spirits have their own preferences. Don't look at me like that, Corny, I'm personally glad that he didn't choose a typical haunted house."

"Oh, my God, just get to creating the damn bubble-thingy!"- Cornelia rolled her eyes but smiled instead of lashing at Irma, as she usually did when the water-witch cracked jokes at an insensitive and inappropriate time.

They were all going the extra mile, not only for harmony-related concerns but because they were trying to help Will restore her usual views on life. She was still glum, despite the time that had passed and all her friends noticed it. That was why they were looking forward to finishing with this mission. The sooner they gathered answers from Aram, the faster they could get back to investigating the condo corpse case, which was threateningly soaring over Will and Susan.

Hay Lin and Irma joined their powers and soon, the five guardians were under the surface of lake Calasea, a relatively small water basin, in the perfect center of Western Forest, a few hundred miles away from the Capital Town Square. Getting to here had been a challenge by itself- they hadn't exactly visited before, therefore they couldn't teletransport. They had flown on their way to Calasea. And now that they were here, they had to dive in and find the ghost of Aram.

"Don't say ghost! Say spirit. It sounds more respectful."- Hay Lin advised her girlfriends as they submerged deeper in the lake.

"Really, Hay Lin?"- Cornelia eyed her with annoyance. "When was the last time you had to talk to a ghost. I'm sorry; _spirit_."

"I haven't. I'm just saying that we should be respectful."- the bubbly girl shrugged. "Wait, yes I have! It was long ago, but remember that mission on..."

"Girls!"- Taranee scolded them. "Less talking, more looking around! We have to get to the bottom and then use our energy to summon the spirit to us. Nerissa said that we will only manage to evoke him if we maintain full harmony."

"Agreed."- Will tucked a red strand behind her ear. "Ghosts, spirits, whatever. Zen and concentrate."

* * *

_**Heatherfield...**_

"I still can't believe that we're doing this."- Halinor whispered guiltily. "We're behaving like criminals! No one has ever done this before-"

"I have."- Nerissa objected calmly. "It's not that hard, dear. And unfortunately, it was the only possible way."

Halinor and Kadma had arrived at her son and daughter-in-law's house in Heatherfield while everyone else from her household was on Meridian, practically making the place empty and ideal for the first step of her plan to extract more information about the phantom room in the Coronian Palace.

Nerissa was getting ready before opening up a passageway to Kandrakar. Yes, she had sent the guardians on a misleading trail as to get them distracted and away from herself as long as she acted, but she had her justifications. Thankfully, her friends had agreed to join her mission:

"You know what they say: if you want something done, do it yourself."- Nerissa narrated, as she powdered her face in front of the vanity in her bedroom.

The room was well-kept and glamorous, carrying both her and Cornelia's personal style. The big dark drapes and the semi-modern furniture went well together, Halinor noted as she looked around herself. It wasn't the first time she was here, but she noticed new details each time. Maybe because new things had appeared over the months. For example, the painting above the master bed was new.

"And I didn't lie to WITCH because I underestimate them or because I don't think that they're capable of this achievement. On the contrary, I sent them on a fool's errand, _exactly_ because I know what they're capable of. None of them would have approved my idea to storm the Forbidden Wing on Kandrakar, and that's the right thing for them to do. As active guardians, such a transgression on their part would be quite serious. You two, on the other hand..."

"Don't talk us out of this, Nerissa."- Kadma said in a warning tone as she fixed her violet langa*. "I do understand that your intentions are good, that's why we eventually agreed to join you, but your approach is as always catty and- "

"Oh, my sweet Kadma. How do I ever explain to you that this type of approach is the only way to be ahead of your enemies."- Nerissa interrupted her in a dramatic fashion. She sprayed some more perfume behind her ears and then turned around to face the two women with a confident smile on her matte red lips.

"I know that the two of you aren't fans of my little...tactics, but I swear on my son's heart, I do all that I do because I want to do good. I've always wanted to help people, regardless of the ways and costs. That's why I was a guardian. Why, at heart, I still am a guardian."

"We know that."- Halinor interrupted her softly and took her hands in hers."But, honey, don't you think that lying to the girls is unhealthy for your relationship with them? Lying to them about something like that will tarnish your image in front of them yet again. Why did you have to make up a whole entire story about a person who never existed?"

"Yes, Nerissa."- Kadma joined in. "And while I'm always ready to back you when it comes to defense from Kandrakar's injustice, this time we're going to be the ones that will violate the rules and ethics. We're going with you because we believe in you and you said that it's extremely important, but I don't want that to become a routine."

"Oh, Aram wasn't entirely fictional. He did exist once, Rease has talked of him."- Nerissa appeared to be amused. "He did exist, a good couple of centuries before I started living with her... It's just his ghost that I made up. I appreciate your concern, but they're not my team. You are."- and Nerissa held one hand of each friend, looking at them with benignity. "And while Cassidy and Yanny can't join us because of obvious and tolerable reasons, I'm beyond happy that you're going to come along with me. It is just like back in the day, when we would go on a guardian mission. And don't worry, Kadma, I will not turn dragging you along in my messes into a routine. Just this once. For the good old time."

"Oh, my God, that's exactly what you used to say each time before getting us into a mess for the umpteenth time!"

The three women burst out in laughter after the ex-Earth guardian's reply, cherishing the memories and celebrating their friendship. Many years had passed, but the young girls in them had never left their souls and neither had the spirit of friendship and unity. All of these things had just been buried deep inside each of them, but thankfully, after the most recent summer, everything was out in the open again.

"Anyway, setting the fact that you cannot deny how fun it was aside."- Nerissa began, releasing three little orbs from her Mage ring.

These three little orbs she had taken from Taranee, Cornelia and Will's essence while they had all been emotional the other day. The perfect time to cultivate a pinch of someone's magical essence. It was going to help the three of them mask their presence on Kandrakar with the present guardians' energy that the mystic detecting spells of the fortress didn't recognize as intruding.

"It's time to go and find more information. There's something else which I didn't tell the girls. After long hours of searching through all my books and olden papers, bequeathed to me by Rease, I actually managed to make out two words from the message on the Coronian phantom door."

"What did they say?"- Halinor asked curiously, as she watched her friend take out her printed copy of the picture made by Taranee. She herself, had already looked at it after they had sent it to her via email. She hadn't been able to conclude anything, but that the language used was a dead language.

"You were right, these letters are from a cryptic alphabet that has been completely extinct for many years. It's an olden-Coronian writing system which was banned in the realm over a century ago."

"That's why it doesn't figurate in any magical papers. Not even those we have access to."- Kadma pondered out loud. "Why was it banned again?"

"I read a really short passage about it."- Nerissa shook her flat-ironed black locks. "The topic is so vague, it was the only thing which I could find, and believe me when I tell you I went through _everything._ But I have got to thank Will, I confess.

"Why?"

Nerissa smiled a little awry. It was obvious that counting her replacement's merits wasn't something she liked to do:

"She said the word "cult", during that meeting. It got sealed in my brain and I later dug out this little book about cults in the Metamoor and beyond. It was a good guess. That's exactly where I stumbled upon the passage about this old Coronian writing system."

Kadma and Halinor exchanged glances.

"They banned an entire language because of a cult resorting to it? That's rather too much."- Kadma knitted her brows. "Must be their idiotic philosophy meaning to keep everything all shiny and pretty... No place for stains on their golden reputation, whatsoever."

"Exactly."- Nerissa nodded. "A cult on Coronia can only be seen and perceived as an extreme disgrace. These people could never. After all, they're the golden planet. Pathetic fools! They've swept everything under the rug quite successfully because all information about this little stain on their reputation has been expunged. I've been going through all these libraries, but in vain. Neither did I find anything more on the topic in Meridian, nor on Coronia itself. Not a single line. Just that little cult-listing book in the Mage's goods... Kandrakar, on the other hand."- her eyes shone with thrill. "As you said yourself, Halinor, no outside person has even been able to break into their library. That leaves me positively believing that more information about this phantom door and its connection to the cult, will be found there. That's exactly why we're going to the Forbidden Wing of Kandrakar's library."

"I just didn't get what these two words were. The ones which you managed to translate with the Mage's book."- Kadma turned to her friend. Nerissa was just about to open a portal when that reached her ears. She frowned:

"I still need a key of some sort to understand everything written on that door. Why Magana put it there and what she wanted to achieve... I made the said two words out, because of the translated sentence devoted to the cult, which was included in the book. But as you can probably imagine, that sentence only offered a few letters from the banned writing system, the entire thing cannot be translated with it. However, the 'Dark Descendant' has to mean something. Something essential."- her green eyes, defined with matte brownish eyeshadow and dark eyeliner, shone again.

Halinor felt a bittersweet sensation hurl up her soul. She knew that light in her friend's eyes all too well. And while she was glad to see Nerissa's inner guardian, eager to do good and help, she also hoped that certain possibilities for an unwanted turn of events wouldn't wake up the sleeping demons in her.

* * *

"I don't understand Raythor. His reforming programs for those prisoners that have a chance to function in the new domestic system are laudable. But Frost? Frost of all people? It just seems like a miscalculation and a bad idea."- Julian voiced his thoughts in front of his son.

The two men were in one of the Palace's sitting rooms. They had just wrapped up a meeting with some of the royal engineers and their plans for the newest factories that were to open around Meridian. Julian was finishing off some of the paperwork that was left after the meeting, while the younger man was rocking his baby son in an attempt to put him to sleep. It wasn't a very easy job, especially today. Killian was in a grumpy mood since morning and with Cornelia being away on a guardian mission, and his grandma undertaking some business of her own, all the cares for him fell on his father. Caleb didn't mind that. He loved being a father and spending time with his son. The only thing that he didn't love was when he couldn't calm his son down. He felt incapacitated when he couldn't seem to bring the little guy serenity and comfort:

"I don't know, dad. At this stage, who cares about that barbarian. It's not like we lack much more serious problems waiting to be dealt with."

He had heard of the captain's decision to release the hunter and let him hunt again, even if under strict royal watch. Frost regaining freedom didn't matter though. Frost was and was forever going to remain, a brute with a pea-sized brain, who they could easily seize any time the situation called for it. As long as he wasn't under some smarter person's patronage, he was not really a menace.

"Howbeit, he has no proof that the brute has mended his ways. Your mother must know something more."

Julian abandoned the paperwork and approached Caleb, reaching for his grandson. The moment he took the baby in his arms, Killian's wailing softened a tad.

"Where is she anyway? Cornelia and the girls went to Calasea, but mom? How do you do that."- the young man changed the subject, as he observed his son becoming more and more calm in his grandfather's arms. His crying had stopped for good. "I've been trying to soothe him for 20 minutes and you managed in seconds!"

"Come now, son. You know this by now. You're just absent-minded."- Julian chuckled, moving his eyes from the baby that was now playing with his beard, to Caleb. "You weren't holding his little head the right way. You have to place your palm under his scuff. Like that."

"Right... You're the best, dad."

With a smile, the older man guided his son's hand before gently returning Killian to him. Fully peaceful by now, the infant lifted his big blue eyes up and gifted his father with the purest, adorable little smile. Caleb couldn't help smiling too. Becoming a father was for sure one of the best things that had ever happened to him. It was a sensation beyond any words. Four were the highlights of his life, which he valued most: Finally seeing a free Meridian after years of fighting for its freedom, meeting Cornelia, making amends with his mother, and having Killian. Those were the four things that Caleb couldn't see himself living without at this stage of his life. He was truly grateful and felt extremely lucky, each time he thought about it.

"She said that she'll be meeting Halinor and Kadma. Then she'll come here."

Caleb looked at his father. Then he realized that the veteran rebel was answering his question about Nerissa.

"Great. Hopefully, when they all come here, some pieces of the Coronian mystery will finally be put together. I mean, you know... Before the Queen takes charge there officially."

"I'm not sure anymore."- Julian stated, rubbing his beard while watching his son put the baby in his stroller-basket.

Caleb turned to face him with raised brows.

"You know, Caleb, the way there's something new coming out to the surface every now and then ever since her Majesty's engagement, discourages me. These people have so many secrets that even now when Phobos and the mad princess are under arrest, I can't seem to shake off of the feeling that there's something twisted in Meridian's union with Coronia...I don't know, it might be because of the two of them, who started a union of their sort first."

"Trust me, I know exactly what you mean."- Caleb nodded grimly. "The golden planet is rustier than any of these people want to admit...Even to their selves. And that room Queen Elyon led us to is yet another proof of that. Don't know, dad...had it been for Meridian's financial state only, I would've tried to talk the Queen out of this marriage. Because it's too dangerous. Too misleading... But alas, with time, she has actually developed feelings for Andan."

Julian shook his head silently. Months ago, Miriadel and Alborn had been supporters of their daughter's marriage with two hands. They had managed to convince him too. The entire kingdom was enchanted by the Coronian ambassadors and their big words...Even Nerissa had approved of it. Then, all these dirty secrets of Coronia had started to reveal themselves. The true reason why Queen Magana was eager to get her son married, the fake death of her daughter, and her relationship with Phobos. Everything had been crumbling down ever since the engagement... And even though so much had happened since there was still so much in the unknown.

"Julian! Caleb! There you are! Did you not hear the horn?! To the front, now!"- all of a sudden, the doors of the room had been slammed open and a visibly out of breath Raythor was facing them expectantly. The emergency horn sounded from above, just now.

"What's the matter, Raythor!? What's happening?"

"There's no time to explain! We're under siege! I repeat, the Palace is under siege!"

* * *

**_Meanwhile on Kandrakar... _**

The Forbidden Wing was engulfed by dark violet light and shadows, making the three women's way around it quite difficult when it came to actually being able to see. The heavy, tall bookshelves, reaching to the ceiling, were all placed in a labyrinth-like scheme, which only hindered one's orienting around, but Kadma guessed that it was only fair. After all, some of the darkest spells and reading matters in the entire Universe were gathered here. Why, she couldn't wrap her mind around. Perhaps Kandrakar was keeping them away from the wrong hands by creating this wing in their fortress, then again, as practice showed, any guardian could easily break into this vault. Or maybe not any. After all, Nerissa was one of a kind in many matters... The former Earth guardian, herself, had never actually been here, but both her friends had- many times. Nerissa had frequently snuck in to learn about magic, back when they had still been in their teens, and Halinor had maintained some of the units, as a part of her job as a Kandrakarian elder.

But even though they had been here before, making their way to what they were here to find wasn't a piece of cake. Books and parchments in this library weren't sorted by any logical order. In fact, there was no order at all, as Halinor revealed. That was so because these books here weren't meant to be read. There was also no way they could go through each and every unit in searching for Coronian papers- it was simply impossible and would only take them a ton of time. Time which they didn't have...Because, even though the Oracle was in meditation, and they had supposedly masked their auras with that of the present guardians, sooner or later, someone would discover that the fortress has been invaded. Normally, even the guardians were supposed to state their business in Kandrakar; rooming around at will was strictly forbidden...

Well, to be fair, being inside the Forbidden Wing was already a violation enough. Unlike the blonde, Kadma wasn't intimidated by the idea of being caught at the crime scene. If confronted by the elders, she was ready to start a fierce scandal. None of these two-faced, canting fools had any power over her. She was Queen of Zamballa! Yes, that was what she repeated to herself, even though she painfully remembered the last time that hideous Himerish had put her to sleep in his fortress for an entire week during the last stages of Nerissa's redemption... That had been both a punishment and a demonstration...A punishment for her actions, going off the right way and declaring war on a villain in the process of redeeming themselves, and a demonstration that he had enough power to practice control over her. Himerish was a being Kadma openly despised, even after the reunion that had happened in her guardian team. A little too little, a little too late for her to ever consider forgiving him for letting them suffer for years. And in spite of all that, deep inside, she knew he was still Oracle, and she couldn't say she liked it. That truth about him. All that power which he would never use, but there was always that little possibility that he could. He could force his control and power on her if he decided she has gone too far. Especially when she was on Kandrakar; that he had already proved...

And that was the only reason why Kadma Starlighter carried a pinch of respect for the man who had observed her life fall apart all these years ago. Or rather imposed awe. When she was on his territory, though, and not anywhere else.

And while Kadma was busy with her thoughts of pure pride and inviolability, Nerissa was leading them with open striving. A striving to find the answers she was here for and use them to show everyone once again just what hell of a Mage she was. How underrated her work as a guardian had been, how they had forced the circumstances on her and made her the bad guy many times, not even willing to hear the ideas she had about making the Universe a better place...

Those were all old tunes though. She had long decided to concentrate on herself, her family, and Meridian, for which she was responsible. And in order to keep Meridian safe, keeping her promise to Caleb at the same time, she had to know every little thing that had remained buried between Magana's metamorphosis and Leonida's capturing...

"The seeking pedestal is near."- Halinor stated in a low voice. "That I remember full well, for I've polished it many times. But, Nerissa dear, don't forget that you can only say one keyword. Otherwise the Forbidden Wing may declare us as hostile elements and go ballistic- "

"I know, my sweet Hal, I've been here and done that before."- the brunette interrupted her softly and turned around for encouragement: "It will all be copasetic, trust me. We will have what we're here for and leave before you know it."

Halinor smiled with uncertainty. She wasn't too sure about that. But she was also prone to paranoia and she knew it.

"So, evidently, the keyword to be used when on that searcher platform is 'Coronia', correct?"- Kadma said.

"I'd say, yes, Kadma."- Nerissa replied. "It is the most logical option which should summon all materials on the golden planet at our disposal. We'll be able to pick the most suitable ones from then on."

"We should rather try 'Coronian Cults'."- Halinor objected. "Remember that being specific is out of great importance when standing on the seeking pedestal."

They were already standing in front of it by the time she finished that sentence. A small, typically Kandrakar-styled pedestal that lacked a book, of course, stood quietly in the middle of a large section of bookshelves.

Nerissa didn't waste time. Not waiting for Halinor's clarifications, she quintessence-d the pedestal, forcing it to work athwart its rules. After all, as she had already said, she had already used this magical object many times in the past. What could go wrong? Nothing. And if it did, it wouldn't be because of her...

"Coronia!"- the raven-haired guardian commanded, placing her hand on the engraved surface of the pedestal.

A deaf roar went off from all around the wing and almost immediately, books and scriptures, coming from every corner, began circulating around the three former guardians. They were very few, literally could be counted on the fingers of one's two hands. It was more than obvious that Coronia did all they could to ensure their kingdom's good reputation exceeds them, to the point where they had most probably destroyed the majority of their ancient dirty laundry...Halinor was in charge of skimming through each and every one of the papers, as it was essential for Nerissa to keep her hand on the pedestal. Removing it would reset the searching process.

"Well?"- Nerissa asked impatiently. The last book that flew in the circle of summoned objects around them was a fact. She saw its title for a split second. Something about diseases.

"So far there's nothing, Nerissa."- Halinor shook her head. "These are all about the minor mistakes made by the old dynasties, their system before the renovations, and all about their blunders before the Golden Spring shrouded the entire planet in the infamous protecting fog. Nothing about a cult, nothing about a banned lettering system."

Nerissa bit her upper lip. No one had said that it would be easy, but finding nothing even here, in the Forbidden Wing of Kandrakar, where some of the vilest, gruesome spells and stories were locked, was a little too uneasy for her taste. She had looked through so many libraries by now, that she felt sick each time her eyes fell on a bookshelf.

"No, there's nothing here."- Halinor concluded.

"That's impossible."- the ex-keeper snapped with disappointment. "This can't be happening. Neither can I turn Magana back to confront her, nor can I get anywhere near the true essence of Coronia's checkered past."

"I told you you should've tried 'Coronian cults'."- the other woman shrugged almost apologetically. She wanted to help her friend sort the problems that Meridian was facing, but alas. Apparently, this was not the place where that would happen. "But if that will bring you any comfort, I don't think that what you're looking for is here at all. If the Coronians destroyed everything about it centuries ago, as they've done with so much of their dark past, then I'm afraid that answers have most likely never made it here."

"It hasn't been centuries, Magana has kept the ritual alive during her years of reign."- Nerissa argued, crossing her arms on her chest. The search could as well end, it hadn't brought any gain, anyway. "Whatever rite she practiced in that room, it was somehow linked to her daughter and her remarkable insanity which later resulted in her killing the king. Do you think that Queen Magana cursed her daughter to turn into a bird just because of that one crime? As terrible as it is, I don't see it as enough. Leonida has clearly had systematic problems. Serious problems that must have something to do with the cult."

"I'm not denying that, Rissy, I'm just stating some facts that I know for sure about Kandrakar."- Halinor placed a hand on her friend's shoulder compassionately. "Coronia hasn't had any ambassadors from Kandrakar ever since the golden protecting fog has come to existence, many centuries ago. I know for fact, as I was here, that the present guardians were the first guardians to ever be sent there after that. And if they haven't brought anything with themselves, which they didn't, then further intelligence about that cult has never been brought to Kandrakar at all."

Nerissa frowned. Halinor made sense, that was true. It was similar to what Himerish had told W.I.T.C.H anyway. Coronia was an extremely private and internally arranged kingdom. Even though they fell under Kandrakar's watch, there was barely ever any information that they shared with the Fortress of Infinity. The last recorded call for help from them, the first in thousands of years, had been when Will and the others had been called to retrieve the princess.

"Do you feel that."- Kadma suddenly said quietly. She hadn't spoken since the seeking pedestal had been activated. Now she appeared incredibly alert and on pins and needles, drawing her friends' attention in an alarming way.

"Feel what, Kadma? Are you alright?"

"Feel the presence."- the Queen of Zamballa said quietly, to the former Fire guardian's terror. "There's someone in this library with us."

_This is terrible_, Halinor switched to telepathy and turned to Nerissa. _We must leave at once! We can't afford to be discovered here, not when we've already transgressed so many rules in the past-_

_Not before I've squeezed the last drop of information this place can give me_, Nerissa retorted relentlessly and made her way to the pedestal once again. _I'm not going to let this slide past me!_

_Nerissa, no!_

_You can't use another searching word this soon_, Kadma joined in. _The Forbidden Wing will expose us!_

But Nerissa wasn't ready to give up, nor listen to her friends' pleas. She had always been like that, even on their guardian missions. Kadma shook her head. They had clashed so many times in their youth, many times exactly because of this relentlessness of hers, but she couldn't bear to argue with her now. She knew that if this had been for Zamballa's sake, she'd be acting the same way. Nerissa stubbornly approached the seeking pedestal and uttered quietly:

"The Dark Descendant!"

The semi-invisible wave, the startup of the search process, descended from the pedestal and swept through the entire library. The sparkles slowly died down and then there was silence. Silence that lasted almost a minute ...

_Nothing's happening. We must go_, Halinor was just saying in the telepathic conversation when they started flying towards them. Thousands of charred books, like a swarm of angry bees.

"What the..."

Kadma saw herself forced to create an invisible dome of telekinesis around them as to protect them from the furious books, aiming to slam into them and strike them down. The entire wing had gone ballistic, just as Halinor had envisaged...

"We must leave!"- she insisted. "The library will betray our location!"

"No, don't you see!"- Nerissa exclaimed, absolutely indifferent to the fact that they could be caught any minute now. "The Dark Descendant is a word combination with extra protection placed upon! It's a taboo! Therefore, it is something of high danger and risk! That is why the library is trying to oust us and conceal the truth..."

Halinor shook her head. It was true that Kandrakar placed additional protection spells on very few writings and scripts, even in the Forbidden Wing. But that presence that they had felt in the library with them, fueled her anxiety. The last thing she wanted was for her and her girlfriends to be caught trespassing the Fortress...

"This means that the authentic writing that all these coaled books are trying to keep in the unknown, will come flying with them, does it not?"- Kadma out-yelled the roar that the swarming books created. "We just have to get it!"

"Exactly! It has no choice but to obey the seeking pedestal."- Nerissa replied, focusing her energy on that piece of information which she was striving to get her hands on. And when she had her heart on something, she never let it go without a true hustle. "I'm tired of looking like an amateur because of the pathetic Coronians. I'm not leaving here before taking it! Not even if the Oracle himself comes to confront me."

* * *

_**Back on Meridian...**_

Ari watched his men fight from on top of his mare. The way things had turned out, in the end, was not the most sought-after approach, but his son's happiness outweighed everything. Even his gratitude to the guardians who, just like the Queen, were absent.

The thing with that was, that Ari didn't believe that Queen Elyon was truly somewhere else. Her people were hiding her. For all he had heard, she barely ever left her kingdom, and if she did, she was most probably on Coronia. On Coronia, where Ari was slowly starting to believe, some sort of propaganda was actually taking place. Maybe there was a dose of truth in Phillip's words after all. Maybe Kandrakar and its pawns were planning to unite dimensions under one person's reign to control life on all these planets easily. Maybe some people did have the tyrannical ideas that the prince had warned him about.

When he saw the Mage's son in action, these views of the former farmer were confirmed once more. The way that young man fought with such onrush and fervor, scattering the Arkhantian soldiers on his way, defending the kingdom, made it easy to believe that he had what it took to command an entire union of dimensions. Phillip's words and the sentences from that book he had left him with, echoed in Ari's mind as he observed the fight he had started.

"Father."- Maqi's voice sounded behind him, as the boy turned visible again. An invisibility charm from the banshees. It was one of the charms which they had taken with themselves on this mission. "I went around the entire palace and the surroundings. The Royal forces are coming from the east, but it will still take them time to come here and aid the warriors present. They exceed us in numbers, but we took them by surprise. The Palace is weaker without the magic users. Now is the time to carry off with the son of the Mage, so that we can have a bargaining chip for Asa and our requisitions."

"Well done, Maqi."- Ari approved and activated the charm on himself. "We tried peacefully, but it appears that Phillip knew what he was talking about. There's no other way for these people to hear us out. Maybe when we _tie_ the rebel leader _down_, Meridian will take us seriously."

* * *

"This is ridiculous, who do these scums think they are."- Raythor growled from the watching tower. "I've barely ever heard of Arkhanta before! Let alone this girl they're searching for. How did they even make it through the veil?"

"I can't tell you that."- Julian retorted darkly as he watched the battle himself. Caleb was currently fighting on three fronts, managing to take down three soldiers with each blow. But for how long? "All I know is that the guardians and the Queen are unreachable, and we can't wait for reinforcement. I have to help my son. He and Alborn can't keep up on their own. The Arkhantian army uses magic."

"Wait, stay here. Someone must remain in the observation post."- the captain said. "I'll go help Caleb. By the time Miriadel and Drake return with their troupes, the Knights of Vengeance included, Nerissa will have sensed trouble here with her ring, she'll come and-"

"There's no time to talk or prognosticate, Raythor."- the veteran rebel interrupted the other man. "What are you trying to say? You think that I can't fight efficiently anymore? Need I remind you we come close in age- "

Raythor just shook his head. He didn't even get into the long debate about the differences between an Escanor human and a half breed. In fact, what he did say, caught Julian by surprise:

"I'm just looking out for you, mate. You know? So much time of your life you've fought. Fought, suffered, and ran on the right side, unlike me... I want for you to now have time to spend with your family. You deserve to. Anyway..."

Julian blinked. No, there had never been much of a liking between the two of them, but now he considered the captain's words touching. He could openly say he considered him a friend...So much had changed.

"And I appreciate that."- he said earnestly. "Your concern. But I also want to aid my son, myself. Surely you can put yourself in my shoes, Rayhtor. You stay and observe. Everything will be fine."

Raythor nodded somewhat reluctantly, but he couldn't keep insisting. He returned to his post and let the other man head for the battlefield.

What Julian didn't know, however, was that he would fall down before he even made it far enough to join the battle. He was on his way when a spear took off, as if out of nowhere, piercing his shoulder deep...

"Dad!"- Caleb yelled and pushed off the two men he was currently dueling. His heart raced when he saw Julian fall to the hard ground.

Alborn, who was battling another Arkhantian near, also let out an exclamation of shock and surprise, but the battle wouldn't die down just because.

Caleb immediately rushed by his father's side and knelt down, lifting his head up carefully.

"Dad, you'll be alright."- he said, trying to suppress down his shock and fear. He had seen his father injured before, but that didn't help these dark feelings go away. "Take my father to the hospital wing!"

"I'm afraid that won't do, rebel Caleb. You see, the tip of that spear was dipped in a special poison, only I have the antidote to."- a new male voice declared.

Caleb turned around abruptly just in time to see Ari become visible nearby. His expression was dark and unreadable. The young man immediately aimed all his anger and hatred at him:

"Who the hell are you, you dirty bastard?! And how do you know my name? Why did you do this to my father, why did you attack Meridian at all?!"

"Easy. Take it quite easy."- Ari held his index finger in a pointing gesture. "You'll hear everything once you come with me. Come with me and I'll provide your healers with the antidote your old man needs to survive."

"Caleb, I'm fine."- Julian wheezed from the ground. Even though he was still holding good, it was evident he was in pain. "Do not listen to this man, the guardians will soon be here. I will be fine."

"The guardians better be here soon, because they have a lot of explanations to give me."- Ari interjected. "Now, Caleb. Come with me and we will sort this entire mishap through. I will restore your father's health and I'll stop the battle with your soldiers. All you have to do is get in that carriage and come to Arkhanta with me. At once."

Caleb clenched his teeth. He was ready to do what he was told in a heartbeat, as it was for his father's sake and that of Meridian. He wasn't afraid of going with the King of Arkhanta, he was just furious with the situation...Julian's hand was holding onto his wrist as to stop him from obeying Ari. But before Caleb could say or do anything else:

"King Ari! Look out!"- one Arkhantian soldier yelled as an entire storm of electricity came down from the sky.

In the matter of seconds, the battle was ended. The Meridian side left unharmed and the Arkhantian- compared to the ground. The powerful magic did what it was expected to. As the high-voltage lights died down, Ari barely managed to stand on his feet, having suffered being thrown off his dazed mare's back.

"How _dare_ you."- her voice echoed. "How dare you treat my family like that, you lack-all farmer?! I will see you _dead_."

Nerissa stood in front of her son, in all her glory, glaring spitefully towards the King. The deadly spell was already beaming in her lethal hand...

"Good job, Maqi! Mage, I'm so sorry."- Ari smiled smugly, as the young man that had just turned visible lined next to him, fearlessly. "But that's not how we're going to solve this problem."

"Maqi..."- Caleb, who held his drifting away father, trying to keep him conscious, thought. Why was that name so familiar? The guardians had had business with this man and his son before, that was right...But what exactly...

Nerissa glared at the boy that had just splashed the contents of a flask all over her. What a moronic thing to do! She then looked down at Julian and her heart ached. She had to cure him immediately:

"You have one second to give me that antidote before you learn what a real problem looks like, fools! Quintessence!"

But to her shock, nothing followed. No tingling sensation going to the tip of her fingers. No waves of static electricity feeling in her hair. No nothing. Nerissa looked down and her hands in dismay:

"My powers!"

"Yes, this time you won't have the opportunity to rely on your destructive powers to get out of the situation. I read all about you. Thanks to that book, I knew better than to underestimate you."- Ari declared triumphantly. "My son splashed you with banshee labor waters. They neutralize any spell caster, element wielder, and being resorting to witchcraft, from temporary being able to do so. Now you're just an ordinary woman, Mage. You have no choice but to cooperate."

Nerissa felt a fit coming up. She was about to lose it. What book was this spline talking about? What did he want...Whatever! She glared right up at the Arkhantian ruler's eyes. If there was one thing which he didn't know about her, it was that she had _never_ been an ordinary woman. Never.

"Caleb!"

Caleb understood what his mother wanted without her having to finish her sentence. They were going to take the antidote by force. And as he tackled Maqi, who was nearer to him, Nerissa grabbed Julian's fallen sword and attacked Ari.

Caught by surprise, Maqi was knocked out cold with just one hit. Caleb slugged him so hard, that the young boy fell down. That fueled the anger of Ari, who albeit baffled by this moment, battled the woman with his own sword.

"You will be sorry for this!"- he yelled and reached for the bags full of charms on his belt.

He threw some sort of dust at Caleb before he could rush to help his mother and then disarmed her. Seeing her son immobilized by magic, Nerissa was still not ready to give up. Even without a weapon, she leaped towards the King with contorted in angry malice face.

"Listen to my claims, demonic woman!"- Ari shouted as he struggled to push her off. "That's the only way to save your husband's life!"

"I will end your life!"- the ex-guardian spat in his face and reached for his belt of charms.

The Arkhantian army had come to their senses, they headed towards their ruler, as to aid him, but Alborn, who was watching the scene closely, finally saw a felicitous moment to interfere. On his command, the Meridian soldiers were sent to halt the enemies and the battle began once again. He himself would go help the Mage fight off the King of Arkhanta while he was unguarded...Miriadel and the others were almost here, he knew...They could win this battle.

Ari's painful exclamation stuck in his lungs, as Nerissa kicked him in the groin. She triumphantly tore his belt off, but he caught her wrists and it fell to the ground...

"Let go of me! I will DESTROY you!"- she demanded fiercely, but his natural male superiority was in the brute strength. The last thing which Nerissa managed to do, before he swung her, turning her back towards himself, was scratch his face with her manicured nails.

Ari roared with pain, but he was still capable enough to press the raging woman's hands behind her back and bring the blade of his, previously fallen sword, in a threatening position in front of her neck.

"Not another move, you darned witch!"- he hissed. "All of you, stand where you are if you wouldn't like to see your Mage beheaded! Stop at once!"

Alborn stopped dead in his tracks. All the soldiers also stopped fighting. By his master's sign, one Arkhantian healer nodded and rushed towards the unconscious prince. Ari looked around himself, careful not to give Nerissa a chance to escape, and then smiled wryly:

"Peace at once. Believe it or not, we're not here to be hostile, Mage. Now, when all this is sorted out, we have about 15 more minutes to strike a deal and save your husband's life. What do you say? Now, will you finally choose to listen to me?"

Nerissa struggled to free herself in vain, as the hateful expression on her face started to melt into defeat. The entire soldier squad stood in their places, unable to give her a hand. Her son was paralyzed near her feet and her husband was on the verge of dying...And she? She tried numerous times, but she could still not do a thing about it. She was powerless.

The former guardian swallowed the humiliation and insult, ready to acknowledge the inconceivable reverse. She, a guardian of the Heart and an unstoppable force for order, had just been bested by one ordinary farmer and his belt of borrowed tricks.

* * *

_FYI: Phobos started this mess with Arkhanta when he sowed the seeds of doubt in Ari and kidnapped Asa, in chapter 16. Now Ari's blinded by his anger and the desire to keep his positions, without even suspecting that he has already agreed to Phobos's terms. Stay tuned!_

**Trivia**: levent* (from Turkish)- handsome young man  
langa*- a traditional dress worn mainly in South India by young girls. It is also known as the _two-piece sari_ or _half sari_


	28. As a Daughter

_**Chapter 28: As a Daughter**_

_"...I want to tell you, as a daughter: generations don't have to be divided by gaps, walls, and hard feelings. We have the rare possibility to all work together and there's nothing more beautiful than that, for so many fucking reasons... Because real guardians are not rivals at heart, Nerissa. We're all connected by the Heart. We'll always be. And you will always be a guardian."_

* * *

Phobos had spent more time in isolation and imprisonment than he wished to admit. He had spent over a decade deprived of his freedom, something which he had only fully acquired at the age of 13. Ever since then, he had always been repressed. By his fate, by his family, by all Meridian rules and customs...Even now, when he was expecting a child, he was under house arrest, forced to endure his sister's reign and decisions, counting the days spent in isolation. Putting all the digits together, only some miserable 14 years had been spared for him to blossom and rule. He had lived his life the way he wanted it for 14 years. Even if many had failed to understand his specific taste in the darkness and the grave feelings which he had forced on his entire nation. The most woeful years for Meridian, were the happiest for him. The rest was just time spent dancing to other people's tune. Locked behind the walls of their superiority. And then they called him a tyrant. They were shocked that he did all he could to have an identity, independence, and power. Power, which he was only denied because of being a man.

But today, the prince was not swimming in his dark thoughts, fondest memories, or pools of self-pity created by the unbearable reality. Today he felt strangely elated and his spirits were up high, celebrating something which only he seemed to feel.

He stood by the window of the darned rest house, serving as his prison, glancing at the gray sky with something which looked like a small smile.

"Admiring the weather, are we?"

Leonida was standing near him with arms crossed on her chest and a company-offering smile. Apparently, she had just woken up, because her young face was still bare and her luscious locks needed a brush to run through them once or twice.

Nevertheless, Phobos smiled back and gestured at her to come even closer. She did and he threw his arm around her shoulders, ushering her to look at what he was observing. What looked like the dull, painfully familiar scenery of Gray Mines to her, had an entirely different meaning for him this morning. Or maybe what he was observing was beyond the visible for the eye. The princess turned her head to him with slight amusement:

"Are you feeling alright, my King?"

"More than alright. In fact, today I feel better than I've ever felt since we got locked here."- Phobos said and inhaled deeply. "Don't you feel it, my squeeze?"- he nodded at the open window. "There's this feeling of...justice in the air today. There's _suffering_ in my sister's Palace, I can sense it. Someone there is suffering and I can't help enjoying it."

Leonida tried to appear understanding, but deep inside she didn't have the zeal to fake caring for the man's odd antics better than that. She had concerns of her own. _New concerns_. And as she impatiently waited to hear that her repulsive brother would finally get married, new circumstances appeared to terrorize her every day, poisoning her heart with the gruesome possibilities that everything will have been in vain...

"Princess Leonida, please, watch your step. You're pregnant."

Leonida looked up at Cedric, who she had just almost bumped into, on her way to pour herself coffee. The tall man smiled down at her, but there was nothing friendly in that smile. It was one of those sadistic, catty grins of his, the ones he pulled out whenever he felt exceptionally satisfied with himself.

That immediately caught the ex-princess's attention. What was he so smug about? Cedric was not even near to being her well-wisher, let alone an ally. In fact, Leonida had been more than happy when they had been arrested without him, two months ago. Later, when she learned that he had not only made it out of the obvious suicide mission she had convinced Phobos to send him on, but also purposely turned himself in, as to be with his master, the expecting mother had felt sick. Even though she had pretended to be happy about him being reunited with them, in front of the enemies, it had been just a farce. Leonida couldn't stand the blond man and it was mutual. Whenever the shifter had a reason to celebrate, she most probably had good reasons to cry.

_Why is he so smug now,_ Leonida couldn't help wondering. _Ever since he's here, he's been breathing in my neck, cornering me at every felicitous moment. Curse the beast, I wish he could just disappear!_

"Leonida, your Highness."- Cedric bared his teeth in another converted smile. "What's the matter? Is everything alright?"

"I'm perfectly well."- Leonida gave her best to sound friendly. "I was going to the kitchen for some coffee...It was nice of Elyon to supply us with products for our own use ever since you complained about Aldarn's abusive attitude. Anyway, Phobos appears to be quite off today. So..."

"Oh, no, he's perfectly fine as well."- Cedric declared. "I made sure that his spirits are lifted _high_. With some special herbs. My liege could use the relief."

Leonida raised her eyebrows:

"You laced his food? Why would you do that? You know what, never mind. I'm going to get my coffee. You keep him company since you got him in this strange mood."

Cedric watched her walk away and smiled again.

_That's exactly what I want, you two-faced hussy. I want to keep you as far away from the Prince as possible. Keep making it easier with your stick up-the ass demeanor. Then, when it comes time for Phobos's plans to be executed, it will be much easier to secure and protect his success from you and your ulterior motives..._

But before the shifter could take his place by the other man's side, the door of the rest house opened abruptly. He and Leonida turned towards it simultaneously. They hadn't heard them approach, but when they saw who had just entered the grounds of their home imprisonment, both the man and the woman felt baffled.

Elyon took her dark blue gloves off with a gruff expression, but her anger couldn't match that of Raythor who looked as though he was ready to explode any minute now:

"Elyon, what a lovely surprise."- Leonida tried her usual sugarcoated approach, but Elyon stopped her with an open hand.

"Spare me the nonsense, Leonida."- the Queen said sternly. She then turned her attention to the shapeshifter.

Cedric had just counted the soldiers that accompanied her Majesty. Six of them and no other familiar face except her and Raythor. The sentry was waiting outside as Elyon closed the door and Cedric was forced to look away and meet her eyes. He didn't like the look she was giving him one bit...That didn't remain unnoticed by Leonida either. She immediately realized that all the attention of the new arrivals wasn't focused on her. It wasn't even focused on Phobos, who stood by the window like a statue, not even acknowledging his sister's presence. The Queen and the captain were looking at Cedric and only Cedric...

"Whatever might it be that you're here..."- the former princess began, but Raythor's angry growling cut her off:

"Did you believe that your schemes would remain undetected, bastard?"- he barked at Cedric and pointed his index finger at him. "We know everything. Everything about your turning in! Everything about your double game! Then again, after what you did on Kandrakar eleven years ago now, who'd be surprised that you'd sink to a new level of low-"

"Raythor, we don't want to tip off Phobos and Leonida and give their deranged heads any clues or ideas."- Elyon interrupted him, looking coldly at Leonida's direction. She then moved her sparkling gray eyes to Phobos's side. It appeared that it intrigued her: why he didn't step further or take any part of the discussion, but she wouldn't question it. It was beneath her.

Leonida rolled her eyes. If only Magana could see her future daughter-in-law now, she'd be proud of the extent up to which the Queen had mastered her snobbish attitude and regal ways. But what truly interested Leonida was what Elyon had ordered hidden from her? What had Cedric done? Was something which he did the reason for his smugness? Well, he sure didn't look smug now that they had confronted him!

Leonida barely managed to conceal her gloating as she watched with arms folded on her chest. At first, her heart had skipped a beat. She had thought that maybe Elyon was here to announce her new wedding date, but then again, even she wasn't that mindless. Why would she tell her brother and sister-in-law something which she knew they were interested in...Why would she give her enemies a chance? She wouldn't. She had just said she wouldn't give them any clues and information. But the shifter, who was now as pale as a sheet, was she here to...

"Cedric, you will no longer be staying here."

Right at that moment, Elyon's words were music to Leonida's ears. Her jaw hung open as she heard it. Her wish had come true.

"You will be put in a cell elsewhere. That's my final decision."

"B-but, I have to be here! I swore to be by Phobos's side! I can't leave him...I can't leave him with _her_!"

"Silence, dolt!"- Raythor shouted and gave him a rough slap, as Elyon's magic materialized a pair of shackles around his wrists. "It appears that your bratty little friend is getting along well enough with the harlot! Well enough to leave her expecting. You might as well think of your _own_!"

Then he proceeded to drag Cedric, whose protests were on the verge of despair, out of the rest house. The enchanted bracelet that had stopped him from crossing over a certain line, up until now, fell on the ground...

Elyon gave the rest house one last look before heading for the exit herself. There, she stopped once again. As she was putting her gloves back on her hands, she met the other woman's gaze:

"I sincerely hope that your pregnancy is going smoothly."- she said dryly. "Once my niece or nephew is born, your and Phobos's day to be placed in a proper jail will come too. Don't look too happy to see Cedric leave. Andan has a special punishment in mind for you. When you give birth to that baby, Leonida, it will be payback time."

Then Elyon left a setting, slamming the door behind herself, managing to leave an unpleasant tinge in Leonida's, at most, triumphant mood. The enchantress made a mocking face at the now-closed door.

_Yeah, right. Keep lying to yourself, Elyon. You're all talk and no action...if that was the case, you wouldn't have left your criminal brother here with me. You wouldn't have spared him so many times over the years either._

Leonida turned to Phobos, who was now lying on one of the couches, completely oblivious to what had just happened. His right-hand being snatched from him... The blonde's lips stretched into a dirty smirk as she approached him.

"Your sister just did me a great favor, my pet."- Leonida whispered as she seated herself on the couch next to the prince, who had by now drifted away. She started caressing his forehead with the tips of her knuckles as she hummed: "She took your godawful little friend away from here and now you're only mine-"

The honey blonde made a pause and shook her head. It amused her how Cedric had drugged the prince and hadn't even had the chance to spend time with him. He had plotted against her, she was sure. Now he was finally out of the picture.

"-only mine to direct."

* * *

_*FLASHBACK*_

_... She, a guardian of the Heart and an unstoppable force for order, had just been bested by one ordinary farmer and his belt of borrowed tricks._

Just then, a rain of flooding water washed both Ari and Nerissa down, as well as the entire battlefield. The soldiers were forced to stop fighting. Having lost his balance, Ari dropped his sword and his hostage, who, in her turn, found herself face down on the hard ground once the water stopped.

"That should cool them down. Things were getting pretty heated down there."- Irma commented smugly, trying to escape Taranee's unapproving glower. "Oh, come on, Tara! She deserved it! After what she did again- "

Nerissa didn't lose time. She had to get that antidote to Julian before it was too late. That's why she quickly crawled to the tossed aside belt of charms and started rummaging through it:

"Antidote, please. I'll tend to papa's needs."

Nerissa tossed her wet, tangled hair aside and looked up like a stressed cat. Cornelia towered upon her in her guardian outfit and a reproving expression on her beautiful face.

The brunette exhaled heavily. Her fingers had finally wrapped around the little bottle which she knew was what they needed. She could still understand the language of the beasts...

Nerissa silently handed it to the tall blonde, who took it and quickly teletransported away with Julian.

"Girls, get Caleb to his senses and send him to the hospital wing."- were her last words.

The ex-guardian felt like she could finally breathe. Cornelia and her healing powers, backed up by the antidote, were sure to bring her Julian back on his feet in no time. Her son was also slowly starting to stir. It appeared that the effect of the charm which the wretched farmer had thrown at him, was wearing off.

_Speaking of the farmer..._Nerissa jumped up and turned around. She glared at the man, who was still lying on his back. If not else, Irma's water attack had washed the banshee muck off of her. She could feel the magic in her body, burning its way to her limbs with the intoxicating desire for vengeance:

"Don't even think about it, girlfriend."- Wilhelmina's words made her abandon her attempt to fry Ari and turn around.

The guardians stood there like a wall. Everyone's attention was now on them. At Taranee's signal, Alborn quietly started to get his soldiers off the battlefield. Raythor galloped out of the Palace, heading to stop the reinforcements that were in the plains, but no longer needed. The guardians were here. The guardians would take care of everything...

The Arkhantians were like dazed as they watched the four young women. It was only Ari who dared to speak, once he was up on his feet again:

"Guardians, that wasn't very nice! Do you even know- "

"Thank God, you arrived, guardians! What took you so long?"- Nerissa interrupted him. "This man and his dirty little spells almost got Julian killed, he's a terrible menace and now we can bring him to justice- "

"Cut the crap, Nerissa."- Taranee interrupted her strictly. "Nice try. _Not_. We're done with falling for your tricks. At least for the day! Give us a break!"

"Wow, who would've thought that Ari of all people will be the one who'll manage to bring the almighty Nerissa some deserved trouble and pain in the ass."- Irma commented with a smirk. "It appears you've met your maker in the least expected face."

"Deserved?!"- Nerissa barked and glared daggers at them. "I'm not lying, ask anyone present here! When I arrived, this fool was tormenting Meridian, his _unconventional_ ways managed to disarm me and he took advantage of the moment! It if were another situation, I would've-"

"I-"- Ari began, but was cut off:

"Shut up, Nerissa. No one cares to hear you apologizing to your wounded ego."- Will interrupted coldly. "You're not lying about this. What about Aram? Did you not lie to us about his ghost and the lake?"

Nerissa closed her mouth and crossed her arms on her chest. She had known that they would figure it out sooner or later. It just slightly surprised her that they had made their conclusions that fast...

Meanwhile, Caleb was on his feet again. He glared at Ari, who was about to speak again and pushed him roughly, sending him back in the dust.

"Caleb, leave him alone!"- Taranee cried, standing between the two men.

"Why would he? That prick almost got his father killed."- Nerissa said through clenched teeth. "Sick him, Caleb!"- she added venomously and then turned to the women: "If the four of you would actually acknowledge the _real_ problem around here- this mental man and his action against Meridian, instead of bitching about what I _allegedly_ did, then maybe-"

"We will deal with the situation. Ari is an old friend of ours."- Irma replied with her hands on her waist. "Whatever happened around here was a misunderstanding, be sure of that, _Prissy_. Ari would never do such a thing otherwise. Hey, I wouldn't be surprised if you did something to give him grounds to act this way, anyway!"

"Me?! I've never met this pathetic simp in my entire life!"- Nerissa hissed defensively. "And if you call Julian almost losing his life a misunderstanding, then you lack every quality a true guardian should possess!"

"Just don't you start with that."- Taranee warned her. "When you point your finger at someone, look at where the other fingers point!"

"Yeah, because you're a deceitful cow!"- the water guardian added glaringly.

"You're the ones accusing me, you little harpy."- Nerissa held her head high as Caleb gently wrapped his hands around her rebelling arms. He, like every other present man, had chosen to remain silent. He knew better than to interfere in a female argument of this magnitude.

Nerissa was shaking with anger. That was her main problem with these girls...even though she had just made a thrilling discovery, they were killing the joy for her, before she could even share it. And why? Just because they were bratty losers and rancorous soreheads...

"Nerissa, when we arrived, you were the one tackling Ari down."- Hay Lin began cautiously, yet firmly. "Then we came to know the known details of what has happened and interfered, but that doesn't mean that- "

"Oh, so you watched."- Nerissa shook her head darkly. "Good job. Some caring beings. _Some guardians_."

Irma threw her hands up in the air as Taranee rolled her eyes. Will was about to say something, but the older woman waved her hand as to stop her:

"Don't bother. I'll let you deal with your friend, the way you find appropriate. I couldn't care less. Not about him, nor you and your disgusting demeanor! You're just a bunch of ungrateful brats, and that's that."- with these words she teletransported away with Caleb.

"Wow, just wow! Talk about entitled!"-Irma raged and turned to her friends. "What does she think she's doing? How insolent can that broad get?! She's the one who lied to us and played us for fools yet again, but we're the bad guy?!"

"You know she has serious issues."- Taranee shook her head. "She can never accept being at fault."

"I think that she's just still struggling to show her feelings and emotions openly, in the right ways."- Hay Lin sighed. "I don't know girls, maybe she's just reacting likewise because she got scared when Julian was hurt- "

"Yeah, maybe. Or maybe she's just a cunt!"

"Irma, please don't start again- "

Will sulked. She decided she had to end this discussion then and there.

"Forget about her. We have other things on our hands."- the redhead said as she met Ari's gaze. "Other things that are urgent."

_*END OF FLASHBACK*_

* * *

**_One week post Ari's attack (present time)_**

"Well. That's certainly something. Even if she did go the wrong way again, she did it... I mean, it would've been more useful if we knew how to interpret it, but at least we have it. The writing on the phantom door."

"Screw it, will ya? We've been debating on this stupid poem all week. It's just that- a stupid poem. I say it's pointless to delve into it."- Irma threw herself on the sofa and dramatically covered her face with her curls.

She and Taranee were at her apartment. Martin was out at the studios, working. It was lunchtime. The rain outside was starting to morph into snow. And then people had the audacity to say that it barely ever snowed in Heatherfield. Bulshit! As far as Irma was concerned, it snowed all the fricking time. It was like they were in Alaska or something- every winter was unbearable!

Taranee was striving to get the meaning of the translated poem, which Nerissa had managed to translate thanks to her very next fraud and trespass, for the umpteenth time. But all her literature classes were pointless when they didn't know the exact context of the poem. It could be a prophecy or just the fricking motto of the cult Magana had been a part of...

Irma made a face. If only they had known what they were getting themselves into with this union between Meridian and Coronia...but who would've guessed...Nine years ago, Leonida had been the only one slightly off the rocker. Now the entire royal family was to be certified as insane.

"Irma, we have a serious thing on our hands."- Taranee flashed her a warning look. "This is somehow connected to Leonida. If her mother was involved in this cult, then maybe so was she. It wouldn't hurt to inform ourselves of the details. Delving into this is anything but pointless. You know that her case remains open, right? She's still a danger and so is Phobos."

"Because someone decided that they should be placed under home arrest instead of our original thinking- the Tower of Mists, or at least the Infinite City."- the water guardian snorted, passing her eyes over the modern nautical-colored living room. "I know that Leonida is pregnant and everything, but Phobos? Why did he have to be reprieved? He's a fucking tyrant and killer!"

"He also has Elyon's word _not_ to be imprisoned, keep that in mind."- Taranee reminded her darkly and slid her hands over her hips as to avoid folding up her orange denim skirt while sitting down.

Irma responded to that line with a look of concern. She had totally forgotten about that, it had been months ago...Phobos had manipulated his sister into swearing she'll not imprison him again...It was a miracle that she had been able to put him under house arrest without suffering the consequences of having sworn on her crown and power.

"No, I don't mean to disquiet you, Irma."- the fire guardian shook her head. "Elyon and her confidants have gone over this carefully. They took the risk to put Phobos under house arrest and so far, it hasn't backfired. I said it to remind you of why the matter with him is so delicate."

"It's insane that we haven't discussed this and he's already been there like how long...two months or so?"- Irma murmured.

Taranee looked up, calculating it.

"Almost, yes. He and Leonida were captured before Christmas."

"But why did that slime-creep allow himself to be imprisoned. He just told Elyon about Leonida's pregnancy and she immediately reconsidered his murder, planned by Nerissa... But it's fishy! Do you think that he...gave his consent for Elyon to put him under arrest? That he's planning something again?"

For a moment, Taranee looked at her as if she had just fallen from Mars. Then she opened her mouth and started talking to her as if to a mentally irresponsible person:

"Well, good morning, Irma. Why do you think everyone is on pins and needles, despite Phobos's "arrest"? Why do you think that the Council is also so involved in this, calling Will on these private meetings that she's forbidden from discussing with us? I don't know whether you've been aware of this up until now, but we sure were. And we have discussed it, that's exactly why everyone has been under pressure these last two months."

Irma felt her cheeks burn. As usual, Taranee's intelligence had her smitten and angry with herself for being as absent-minded and slow to warm up.

"Ugh, I'm an idiot. "

The fire guardian shook her head and stood up to open the door. It was Hay Lin with takeout.

Their bubbly friend entered the apartment and set the food on the table, giving a chance to the hungry Irma to reach for it and satisfy her noodle cravings. Taranee came back to her place, just when Hay Lin was saying:

"Girls, Mr. Collins was at the Dragon just before I headed here. He and William were there for lunch and I managed to get a word with him. We're falling behind the schedule, Will and Susan's trial is starting next week ."

"My mother told me."- Taranee sighed as she watched the other guardian take off her colorful coat. "We weren't wrong when we estimated that someone's deliberately adjusting events to their advantage. Quite a lot of evidence have already been gathered against Tony. The case "The People against the Vandoms" is going to be very messy if we don't take action fast. That's the other thing that has kept me from sleep lately."

"Aside from the poem?"- Hay Lin guessed with empathy, but Irma's exclamation didn't give Taranee time to reply:

"What the hell?! Why are Will and Susan still suspects of the condo-corpse case when there is evidence against Tony? I mean, no offense or anything, but it was his property, clearly, he has something to do with that body, he even faked his own death, let him clean his own messes! Will and her mom shouldn't have to suffer because of him again, he's a toxic ass!"

"It's not that simple, Irma."- Taranee adjusted her glasses on the bridge of her nose. "Will and Susan have been owners of that condo for over six months now. They haven't reported the body. The court and the people perceive them as Tony's accomplices."

"But your mom- "

"She was denied from taking the case. Thanks to Officer Alexis and his "nepotism" talks, the Superior Court decided to get another judge for the Vandom case. Can you imagine that chimpanzee ordered someone to photograph my mother while talking to Susan?! So that he could use it against her... As if it was not enough that the prosecution self-referred and initiated criminal proceedings against Will, that jerk won't stop pouring oil in the fire too!"- Taranee clenched her fist. Her anger was more than evident in the little flames that started dancing dangerously in her eyes. "If he wants to play with fire, I'll give him the time of his life."

"I agree. We have to do something; this is so unfair."- Hay Lin gushed. "Jessie Alexis must be working for Serena. If we can prove that he's a corrupt cop, we can help Will and her mom out."

"That would be a very good start."- Taranee agreed. "We already know that he's reporting all he does to someone, most possibly Serena. Now we just need evidence to back that up before the first court hearing."

Irma's blue eyes glimmered decisively. Jessie Alexis had forced her father's transfer. He had come in their lives to blacken them- now he was doing everything in his power to turn the Vandoms' existence into hell. She was going to be ashamed of herself if she didn't do something about it:

"Leave that to me."- the Latina averred belligerently. "I'll unmask that bastard in front of the authorities and I will prove that he's nothing but a sneaky, little pseudo-cop. He won't get away with this. Not by the cheeks of my big, big ass."

* * *

Elyon positioned herself on her throne with a tired, pensive expression. The events that had taken place in the last twenty-four-hours were, once again, beyond her control and liking, but she was pretty much powerless against them. The Throne Room was packed with sentries, her parents, and other important figures. It was time for yet another stamina-absorbing audience.

Elyon's heart skipped a beat mournfully, as she lifted her eyes and saw the empty space next to Miriadel. Where her Galgheita would usually stand during such meetings. It was bizarre to think that it had already been almost 5 months since her tragic incident. The Queen missed her so much...

Andan rubbed her hand between his and she turned to smile at him gratefully. He had been her strongest rock and pillar over the last weeks and she was truly beholden to have him. Perhaps he had been right about the entire 'giving their relations time' philosophy, because with every passing day, Elyon could feel herself being more and more attached to him. His kind hazel eyes looked at her with such admiration and solicitude... a wedding with him looked more and more possible and right to happen.

"Your Majesty."- Raythor cleared his throat. "The matters of urgency that are to be discussed are quite a few today. First off, the information which we received from Frost. Whatever sentence do You opine best for the shapeshifter? After all, his transgressions are countless and each chance he gets to support Phobos, he'll use."

"Honey, we know how you feel about radical measures and sentences."- Miriadel went on. "But with a view of the circumstances, I have to say that it is strongly advised we find a _terminal_ solution to the problem. The problem with your brother and his most loyal subjects."

"Yes, Elyon."- Alborn said in his turn. "Think about it, dear. Our kingdom can't bear the damage of this humiliation anymore. Prisoners that break out of their cells, repeatedly. Old foes that come to power and debase our worth and reputation..."- the man-made a pause to steal an encouraging glance from his wife. Rayhtor nodded solemnly as well. Alborn took a deep breath and resumed his speech. He hated to have to project foreign thoughts and ideas on his daughter, but if that was to save her place in people's hearts and help to keep a decent management of the kingdom, then it had to be done: "My dear Elyon, I know how kindhearted and svelte you are. You want to give everyone a hand and a chance, but these dark times call for a rougher approach. If we are to avoid a disaster then we must act now. While we can't take such actions against Phobos due to the oath, Cedric is a dead duck."

There was a silence as Elyon knitted her brows, the words her father had just voiced sinking in her head. Then it hit her as if she was standing on the railway towards a speeding train. All the faces in the Throne Room were frozen, she observed them. All of them were waiting for her coveted answer:

"You...you suggest that we have Cedric executed?"

The silence remained unbroken. Her mother and father just nodded at her with apologetic looks as she evaluated the zealot suggestion. Andan squeezed her hand for reassurance, but Elyon avoided his look this time. She was too busy reflecting on the thought. Up until this morning, when Raythor had revealed Frost has started talking, desperate to have some sense of freedom, Elyon had considered the topic of Cedric and Miranda closed. She hadn't confessed it in front of anyone, but she had already known a big part of the things that Frost had apparently witnessed months ago and Raythor had just studied and confirmed. He had confirmed that Miranda has indeed played dead and hereby escaped prison all these years ago.

Upon questioning the people living in the surrounding villages, those in immediate vicinity of the forest in which he had once dumped her 'corpse', the captain had learned some quite interesting things. Among these people was a rumor of a mysterious woman with the terrifying ability to turn into a monster spider. And that rumor suspiciously resembled Miranda, further confirming Frost's words. In the beginning, Raythor hadn't been fast to believe the hunter by any means. Not at all- he had taken his time to investigate things before bringing this problematic up in front of her Majesty, which was quite the achievement with all the Arkhantian drama that had taken place at the same time. But if Raythor knew two things for sure, they were that, first, Frost could hardly ever fabricate a clever lie. Being a simp and brute, talking the truth was one of his few good qualities. That for starters, and secondly, the fact that these villagers were all frightened to death by the mysterious woman, that so suspiciously sounded like Miranda. Villagers living in small, forest, or mountain settlements were still scared of the shifters more than anything, in spite of the many years and the new Queen, and no one could change that.

Elyon shook her head. She had already struck a deal with Miranda. She in her turn had long sold Cedric in the name of their daughter. Their story was disturbing, deranged, and pitiful at the same time, but still. Executing Cedric? Killing him? That was not only against her nature, knowing that he has a child out there made Elyon dislike this decision even more:

"This decision is tough on me and I don't want to take it without the guardians and the Council of Kandrakar."- the young woman said in the end. It was a good save. Not. She sighed. The disapproval and disappointment wouldn't show on her parents' faces, but she knew that deep inside their souls they must be feeling them. She was glad that Nerissa wasn't present to criticize her about what she already knew.

This was a weak thing to do. It was her kingdom and Cedric's fate was entirely her responsibility. The Crown of Light isn't light...Elyon turned to her fiancé, who's expression also remained unchanged. His eyes kept saying what they had been saying from the beginning. He supported her. But all of their support was subjective anyway...

"I'm sorry. I know that I'm often not what you would want to see in your Queen..."

"Elyon, don't talk like that! It's not true."- Miriadel cut her off.

"Yes, honey. The decision is always going to be yours. You don't have to apologize to anyone."- Alborn said. "This was just a suggestion. So...that being said, we are going to leave Cedric in his cell in the Infinite City as for now, correct?"

Elyon nodded slowly. She didn't feel contented as she did that. She felt like she was being pathetic yet again. A very terrible feeling she was quite familiar with.

"Soldiers will head back to Gray Woods Mines to once again try to get information about the missing girl."- Raythor began dryly. Apparently, he had longed to throw Cedric into the Abyss of Shadows and the postponement, which he undoubtedly recognized as a refusal, had made his mood go even more south. "But I'm positive he won't cooperate, your Majesty. Your brother is atrocious. Perhaps You should accompany them again."

Elyon nodded with understanding. She knew that the situation with Arkhanta had been on the strings. Thanks to the girls, Ari had greatly reconsidered the misunderstanding which had driven him on the verge of a war between two realms. But even though the guardians had helped the king understand the truth about Phobos and how he had deceived him, the Arkhantian royal court still expected Asa to be found. Asa, the girl that had mysteriously been reported missing after 'Phillip' 's visit to Arkhanta. By some grave coincidence, she also happened to be Ari's son's love interest which only made matters worse and further explained why the King had been so belligerent.

Elyon frowned thinking of that. Phobos already had a female companion, who was even expecting a child from him. Then why on Earth would he need that other girl for? She didn't know, but sincerely speaking, she didn't even want to find out. All the thoughts that crossed her mind were nauseating. Asa had to be found as soon as possible, and that was the only thing from the entire mess that the young Queen chose to focus on.

* * *

**_Heatherfield..._**

Nerissa was walking on air as she came back from her closet room with two sets of clothes to choose between. A week post her atrocious collision with the moronic farmer and her fight with the guardians, she had pushed all that aside, sparing energy and time for her more _Earthly-orientated_ dreams and aspirations, namely the progress of her career as a performer. Ignoring WITCH and leaving them to deal with the critical situations in Meridian and Coronia on their own, like they had demanded, had actually given her more time for herself and she wasn't complaining. Well, not that "ignoring" part, that the ex-guardian had decided to do on her own, but nevertheless, it was absolutely worth it. She ignored their calls, both telepathic and physical, pretended that she didn't see them if she, by chance, bumped into one of them, and only acknowledged Cornelia, due to their more specific relations. But even if so, that didn't mean that the young blonde guardian was completely spared of her mother-in-law-to be's wraith. She treated her coldly and reservedly and refused to do many things she had cordially done before. Cooking for example, to Cornelia's horror, for she hated spending time above the stove. Nerissa, though mostly amateur, was a natural cook and had the rare ability to make even the simplest dishes extremely goluptious. Her salads and pasta recipes were some of the best Cornelia had ever tasted. It was like eating high-end restaurant food. Whether she was using some kind of spells to add flavors to her meals or not, Nerissa was a treasure in the kitchen. Not anymore, though. It seemed to amuse her to watch her son's girlfriend struggling with every meal and resorting to takeout more and more often. Cornelia was a little peeved by that, for she couldn't quite understand as to why Nerissa had to get it out on her of all people when she hadn't exactly been a part of the fight between her and the guardians. But she didn't bring it up anyway. Not because she was afraid of confronting the former keeper in any way, but because she didn't feel like risking getting into a fight with Caleb because of her.

Nerissa came in front of one of the big mirrors and started comparing the two outfits on herself. The first one consisted of dark jeans, a modern crop leather jacket with various applications on the back and the sleeves, and a lace corset one piece for underneath, which looked more like expensive lingerie if anything, but Nerissa's philosophy was "as long as the nipples are not at display", so that hardly mattered. The second outfit was also made of leather, but it was a metallic pink-painted, strapless jumpsuit, the upper part of which had a zipper in the front, to regular the cleavage.

Just looking at the two options, she couldn't decide. For God's sake, everything looked good on her. Nerissa tossed her long locks to the back, looking at herself from behind. She could be really vain, but it wasn't for no reason. Her looks had always been among her greatest prides. After completely retrieving them after so much time, she wasn't planning on letting them slump again any time soon. Yes, youth looked great on her. Nerissa smirked dreamily at her own reflection. Youth was so very needed...

"You can wear tatters and still look breathtaking, love."

Nerissa turned around and her coxy confidence smoothly melted into sweet, earnest tenderness and kindness. He evoked the most positive in her each time- her Julian, who had apparently just woken up from a nap.

She tossed the hangers with the clothes on the bed and graciously approached him. A week after Ari's assault, his wound was completely healed. Cornelia had greatly succored that. But he still needed to rest more than usual, because of the effects of the poison, which even out of his blood, had exhausted his organism.

"Oh, I know, my love, but showing up to the recording room in tatters wouldn't be _professional_."- Nerissa purred and caressed the man's face. "You don't quite like this type of streetwear style, do you. You'd rather see me in something more elegant and _regal_. By all means, fashion has evolved so much over the years, I just want to try everything."

Julian smirked at her as she leaned above him and gently wrapped his arms around her waist.

"You know I'd rather see you stark naked."- he said playfully. "But still, anything works for when we're not in private."

Nerissa tossed her head back as she laughed melodiously, and then rested her face on Julian's chest. One leg on the bed, the other on the floor, both of her arms gently thrown over his shoulders, while he lay on his back. He gently set his hands free to massage her.

Nerissa yielded to the bliss and started tracing little circles on his bare skin. Julian did, as usual, sleep shirtless. One black strand of her still damp hair had ended on his shoulder, the one in which Ari's spear had pierced him. The wound was completely healed by now, but there was still a little scar left. She needed to prepare a special potion to make it vanish. She had done it before too; from the first days of the rebellion till the very last minutes of her cover as the ancient Mage, Julian had had a mass of scars that she had healed and effaced.

But that loathed farmer wouldn't get away with what he had done. Ari was yet to find out just what a vengeful woman she could be. Under W.I.T.C.H's wing or not, he would get a big scoop of revenge very soon...Nerissa frowned. W.I.T.C.H...She definitely hadn't missed the sound of their banal name in her mind. Giving them the silent treatment after they had further insulted her, subsequently, the farmer had her humiliated, had been her best decision yet. It had made her much calmer. All these girls did all the time was annoy her, anyway...

"Nerissa? Nerissa, can I speak to you for a moment?"

Nerissa abruptly stood up and glared at the door. Just when she had been thinking that the guardians couldn't get on her nerves upon thinking of them. It was as if she had jinxed herself. Cornelia was whining. _Again_. At least she had the decency to knock and wait outside the door.

"She'll speak to you in a moment, Cornelia. Let her get dressed."- Julian answered instead of his wife, making her pout at him.

"Go on. She's Caleb's true love. You mustn't be angry with her over trifles."- he ushered.

"Yes, that she is."- Nerissa frowned and with a swing got changed in her pink leather jumpsuit outfit. In the end, she had chosen it for her errands today.

Truth be told, she wasn't really mad with Cornelia. She was compiled to endure her, anyway, but she sincerely didn't mind her. Cornelia possessed many qualities which the ex-guardian recognized in herself. She was beautiful, clever, and strong. She was just...a present guardian while Nerissa was a former one. The brunette frowned, putting on a pair of metallic pumps on her way to the door. A storm of confused emotions was in her, that was for sure. The last months had been a testing time for her relationship with the five young girls.

"What is it that her Fairness would like today? Perhaps you require help with turning the stove on?"

Cornelia blinked at the odd utterance. Nerissa came out of her bedroom while coating her lips with gloss. Was she mocking her again? Cornelia pouted her lips and didn't remain obliged:

"I have already cooked for dinner if that's what you're implying."

"Oh, really? What would be on the menu this evening? Beans from a can?"

Gritting her teeth behind her lips, Cornelia ignored the petty line and went on:

"Anyway, I wanted to let you know that I'm meeting Caleb out. Don't wait for us. I've dropped Kil at Garden Plaza."

"Suit yourselves."- Nerissa shrugged and headed towards the broad staircase, followed by her animated dryers, hair sprays and brushes, tending to her hair on the go. "I have plans myself, I'll be working. So, it probably is good that you've decided to let my grandson be with his other grandparents for the night."

"Yes, I know. That's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about."- Cornelia declared coldly, following the other woman down to the living room area of the big house. She was fed up with her diva-like attitude and she was on the verge of snapping about it. There was, after all, only one legitimate diva in this house and that was Cornelia Hale. She didn't appreciate the competition that her mother-in-law was putting up feverishly in the last week:

"I know you're going to be recording with Matt. We're happy for you, but keep in mind Will is going to be there. I wanted to kindly ask you to leave your unrelenting shrewdness at home."

Nerissa, who had seated herself in the living room, putting makeup on, looked up almost incredulous.

Cornelia faced her with hands on her hips and a tenacious expression on her face.

"My what?"- setting her brush aside, Nerissa focused her entire attention on the blonde. Leave it to them to find something to blame her for again, when they had been the ones to insult her in the first place... "You think that I can't show decency towards Will, just because she mistreated me?"

"No, I just wanted to remind you that Will has been through a lot lately."- Cornelia crossed her hands on her chest. The other woman was staring right into her soul. She didn't look away. "Her entire family is. Things with them are nowhere near pink right now. She even suffered a miscarriage recently. I simply wanted to make sure that you remember all that, Nerissa. So that you'll give her the passcard this time."

"I'm perfectly up to date with what's been happening in her life. You don't need to tell me to go easy on her, because I wasn't planning to talk to her at all."- Nerissa stood up.

"Alright then, why are you getting upset?"- Cornelia asked sarcastically. "You've said you don't care before. I was just double-checking."

"You're generous on insults these days. First, you stand by that farmer's side, now this. What do you think, that I'd allow myself to toy with Will right now? Why would I?"

"I didn't say- "

"Please, Cornelia, if you should have learned one thing about me by now, it should be that I've only ever, even in my darkest moments, done the _necessary evil_. Every battle, every deceit, has always been in the name of a better future. After all, I'm someone who once had the brave dream of ending war and conflict in the Universe forever... Pointless quarrels, my dear, fall into your specialty."

Cornelia felt her cheeks burn with affront as the ex-guardian turned her back to her. She was this close to further diving into this argument, hitting her with facts and words that would serve as a proper reply to what she had just said, but Cornelia managed to collect her sense on time. What was she even doing? She hadn't intended to start a fight with Nerissa, she had wanted to break the ice and talk with her like mature people do. Why had she allowed herself to fall for the ex-guardian's provocation. That was Nerissa's defensive mechanism, she knew it by now. She knew so many things that the others didn't... After all, they had been living under the same roof for quite some time now:

"Wait, Nerissa."- Cornelia stopped her in her tracks. "I apologize. I failed to deliver the message which I wanted to deliver. I wasn't striving to insult you, I was just looking out for a friend."

Fighting the sour expression off her face, Nerissa looked back over her shoulder:

"Your friend is the last person on my blacklist right now. Don't worry. I'll go after you before thinking of attacking her."

"I know, but I still had to talk to you about it."- Cornelia insisted and approached her. "You're just like me when it comes to these things. Your anger can be destructive and uncontrollable. Whenever your ego is hurt, you fire back, even if unintentionally."

Nerissa studied the young guardian's crystal blue eyes and the seriousness of her perfect face:

"Our characters do have certain similarities."- she confessed tongue-in cheekily. "But this is not one of them. I control my anger and affront much better than you do. Your hurt ego combines with your pride and you slash everyone, even those who you love, involuntarily of course. Yet again the damage is done. Your anger hurts everyone. Mine only blasts at my enemies. And your guardian friends, Cornelia, are no longer significant enough to be among them."- Nerissa tossed her long hair back and placed her hand on the blonde's shoulder, a bitter smirk on her face. Sure she'd prove her words right any minute now.

Cornelia would snap at her, true to the chink in the armor of her soul. She would prove her arrogance could take a toll on her at any time, pushing her off the path to her goals...

How colossal was Nerissa's surprise when instead of that, Cornelia placed her hand on top of the one she had put on her shoulder. A pair of green eyes looked in the blue ones in perplexity, as the guardian of Earth opened her mouth and gently said:

"I can't deny that. I'm aware of my weak sides, yet I fail to control them each time. My anger is often too strong and destructive for my own good. I'm arrogant and prideful, but I've never been hurt like you. I guess that's where this difference in our states of being pushed too far comes from."

"What are you talking about- "- Nerissa pulled away, but her future daughter-in-law went on, undisturbed:

"When you felt betrayed and alone all these years ago, your anger was one of the only things that helped you survive."- she narrated. "That's why you learned to use fury as a fuel to pursue your goals with. I've never been in such a situation and I'll probably never be. When you were left all alone, you learned to feed on your anger, resentment, and pain, turning them into a weapon, but you know it's a two-edged knife they create, Nerissa! You don't have to keep hurting like that anymore. I know how hard that traumatic turning point in your life has made it for you to trust others and feel like a part of something. Something bigger. But now you are! You're not alone anymore, you can finally heal from the betrayal. Don't you get how lucky you are, you are amid the very few people who can brag about undoing a past tragedy. You should allow yourself to feel respected and accepted, even when it's hard!"

Nerissa eyed her, almost at a loss of words. The blonde girl in front of her had spoken heartfully and earnestly. Her gaze was moist and sincere while looking back at her, but could she afford to show her weakness:

"I don't think that you understand what you speak of, Cornelia."- Nerissa said dryly instead and pulled her hand free from her grip. "Why don't you just abandon the topic and let it be. Go out. I've already promised not to make life more oppressive for your little friend than it already is. Why bother further analyzing me?"

The tall blonde shook her head stubbornly, but there was a whole new beauty in her unrelenting attitude at that moment. Emotions of gratitude and appreciation had her overwhelmed as she uttered:

"Because your Caleb's mother! Because you're my family now too and I can see that you're going through a rough period!"- Cornelia declared firmly, to the other woman's surprise. "Ever since I'm a mother myself, I've grown to understand you so much better. I used to think in a shallow fashion, I thought of you as an ordinary power-crazed psycho, but now I know better! I know how you feel and you should know that you don't have to put walls around yourself. Not for me. I'm your family now. I'm your_ daughter_! You better accept me as one."

Her words echoed in Nerissa's ears like a strong thunder as two hot tears rolled down her high cheekbones. Her hard grimace had melted into a moved appreciative mien, that was to turn into a warm smile any minute now:

"And you must know."- Cornelia, whose eyes were also watering by that point, continued. "You're not unappreciated. You're not alone. The entire situation with Ari shouldn't drive you to believe that, and I know how that must have made you feel, trust me, I do. I've been in a similar situation many times. But that's the best thing about W.I.T.C.H- eventually, we always find the way to talk to each other and make amends for the best. That's why I'm reaching to you now...And I know how bittersweet it must be, because, under different circumstances, your team of guardians could've lasted so much more...I know you must hate to see our generation's success at times. But I want to tell you, as a daughter: generations don't have to be divided by walls and hard feelings. We have the rare possibility to all work together and there's nothing more beautiful than that, for so many fucking reasons. You are significant and you matter. To all of us. To your family and old friends, to W.I.T.C.H too! Because real guardians are not rivals at heart, Nerissa. We're all connected by the Heart. We'll always be. And you will always be a guardian."

Overflown with emotion, Nerissa's expression finally gave in and she pulled the other woman in a tight embrace. Cornelia also held her tightly as her boyfriend's mother sniveled on her back:

"I'm not letting you go before you grasp that, got it? We're guardians. Guardians!"- the blonde cried.

Nerissa gently stroked the young woman's long blond hair, with maternal affection. Her words had sounded like a salve for her soul. She had thought of it before, but now she was fully convinced by Cornelia's genuine sincerity. The Earth guardian had accepted her fiancé's family and loved ones as her own. She had even accepted Nerissa, in spite of the turbulent past. Caleb had indeed chosen the best and most dignified woman, he could ever have, and that had nothing to do with the stereotypical notion of a submissive housewife. Cornelia was not like that - Cornelia was strong, steadfast, and real. In a way, she was a striking image of Nerissa's own young adult personality.

"Cornelia, thank you. You liberated my spirits and moved me."- the ex-guardian said in the end, taking the other woman's hands in hers. "I don't say that often, I don't just say it to everyone: Thank you. While I'm sure that we're going to keep having certain disputes in the future, I'll never forget your words. The bridge which your commendable sincerity and virtue built between us is there to stay, I can promise you that. Because I've finally mastered it."- she gushed.

"I don't doubt that."- Cornelia retorted cheerfully. "And what is it that you've mastered?"

Nerissa smiled:

"That which Julian has been carrying in his heart for years, looking at you and our son's blossoming love. He used to tell me about it so many times, but it wasn't easy for my searing soul to accept it. Up until today. Today I can finally boast- I've lived to think of you, and appreciate you, as a daughter of my own."


	29. High Tide Part One

_**Chapter 29: High Tide Part One**_

_**"**When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn."_

_\- Harriet Beecher Stowe_

* * *

_**Heatherdiled, Police Station, 5:34 PM**_

Jessie Alexis was spinning a pen between his fingers, his expression blank, and staring at the door of his office. He was waiting for someone to arrive and he was growing impatient.

For weeks now he had filled in Tom Lair's place, and he couldn't say that he necessarily enjoyed it. Being inspector and chief of the local police had always been something he was striving to achieve, but the work in Heatherfield was a lot. And Tom sure had left his policemen with high expectations. High expectations which they projected on their new inspector. That was why Jessie knew that if he wanted to progress in this career, he'd most probably need to gather a team of his own. Policemen, officers, and criminologists that were loyal to him, not to some other top dog.

Jessie frowned harshly at the thought. Getting away from this city was what he was really looking forward to. Everything in Heatherfield disgusted him. From the slow pace of life, compared to that in Seattle, to the citizens and their ignorance. Each one of these people he had to interact with on the daily, lived in bubbles of their own, absolutely oblivious to common sense, as far as Jessie was concerned. Heatherfield was a bizarre town for bizarre people. It had been better off as a heather plantation.

"_I-inspector Alexis_-"- Rosetta's trembling voice sounded from the phone on his desk. Jessie rolled his eyes, putting his feet beside the device. Just one more proof to his words- how could someone like this lady working at the reception, ever become a police officer, was beyond him. She was cowardly and constantly stricken by anxiety- like a rabbit. Jessie pitied her, otherwise, he would've fired her by now. Tom Lair had to be a fool to keep her around; she wasn't even especially attractive. "_A woman, Ms. Emilia is here to see you. I tried sending her away, but she i-insists, she says she's your friend-_ "

Jessie stirred in his seat. Finally, she was here.

"Send her in here."- he ordered offhandedly.

He then proceeded to leave the pen aside. It was snowing outside as per usual. Winter was terrible in here, Jessie thought angrily looking through the window. Yes, Heahterfield was all that he hated- cold, ignorant and occupying.

"Look at you."- he commented once the door oh his office opened. "You look nothing like yourself."

The woman with a short platinum blond bob locked the door behind herself. Then she looked as if she was about to take her big sunglasses off, but something made her stop:

"The surveillance system."- she said in a low, guttural voice. "Shut it-."

"Already done."- Jessie stood up and walked to the cabinet where Tom had stored some hard alcohol. One good thing about his management of this police department. "What would you like to drink? Tequila?"- he started reading the different labels on the bottles. "Vodka? Rakija*, whatever that is- "

"I want a glass of water and your attention, Jessie, I don't have lots of time."- the woman snapped.

The inspector rolled his eyes as he got some glasses from the cabinet and turned back to his desk. She had always been trenchant and impatient behind closed doors, ever since she had been a little girl...

The new-arrived woman was already making herself at home by the time the tall man brought her the water. She threw her coat on one of the couches in the room. Then she took off what had turned out to be a wig, her sunglasses, and a _part of her face_. The prosthesis that had notably changed her into another person was lying on the surface, as she pulled one leather chair closer and seated herself in front of the desk.

Jessie smiled as Serena Sanchez tossed her dark locks around and stopped her calculating eyes on him.

"Well, Jessie."- she said with open eagerness. "Let me in on the good news. When are we to punish the Vandoms for everything."

"Everything in its good time."- the man retorted upon taking a generous sip of his drink. "So far everything has happened the way we wanted it to. Susan and her daughter have already suffered greatly, but that's just the beginning. The first court hearing is this week and the next stage of your revenge will take place then. I have everything calculated."

"And Tony?"- Serena wanted to know, disappointment crawling in her tone. "When is he going to start paying? He's the one who wronged me the most, I thought that the next stage of my revenge will affect him!"

"Tony is a low ball, but he's quite clever."- Jessie said calmly. "Even though we are about to prove that he's alive, he can't be found anywhere. I had put people around that hospital before he went there to sign his daughter's life-saving papers. He still managed to go in and out without them noticing him. He has eyes and ears everywhere and he's elusive like smoke- "

"He ruined my entire life! I hate him in my gut!"

"Keep it down, you moron!"- Jessie barked and stood up warningly. "These walls aren't soundproof! I didn't call you here to ruin everything! When you sought my help, you agreed to listen to me."

"I'm sorry, Jessie, it's just all so hard on me!"- Serena defended herself and slumped deeper in her chair. "He abandoned me and left me nothing. He's a murderer and a liar!"

Jessie eyed her with a stony expression:

"Yes...But after all the messes which you started; it will be a little tricky to prove all that. It was, actually, but not anymore. Lucky for you, I'm on your team. I'll fix everything, but you must listen to every word and obey me, Sera."

Serena lowered her gaze resignedly. She had reached a new bottom where she could no longer afford to have dignity. Jessie was her relative...Although life hadn't brought them close in the traditional ways, she knew he cared for her. After all, they shared a mother...

"Fine."- she said in the end. "I'll do as you say. As long as that will hurt Tony Vandom the way he hurt me."

Jessie ran a hand over his shaved head and nodded contentedly:

"Very well. Here's what you'll have to do first. You'll take this key and go to the address I sent you."- he nodded at the set of keys displayed on his desk. "I have booked a place for you on my name, your new identity is that of my newest flame. So, wear your wig and prosthesis. Tomorrow there'll be a big charity function to which you'll come as my date. Everyone needs to come to know your new identity, Ms. Emilia Thompson. Everyone needs to think of us as an item. Take some time to have a good rest." - he narrated. "Then, when the day of the Vandom's court hearing comes, you'll go out and make it to a motel which I will book for us. You will come there under the pretext that you are coming to see me, but in actuality, Emilia will never leave that motel until I say. Serena Sanchez, however, will. Serena Sanchez will go to court and will plead guilty."

"What?!"- Serena gasped, sure that she had misheard. "What are you nuts?! Susan Vandom has filled a dozen complaints against me, she's suing me for fraud and assault, and the fraud part is already a closed proven case! If I go there I'll-"

"You'll soon get to know everything, you stupid bitch!"- the inspector hissed after he silenced her with the hard thud that his fist caused upon getting slammed into the surface of the desk. The glasses with the liquids inside them had jumped at that. Jessie's eyes were dangerously narrowed and that had the woman obey him and just look up like a lamb:

"You have to be extremely careful, Serena. I hope that you've practiced your French. Emilia Thompson should never be linked to Serena Sanchez. Getting you out of all the trouble you've gotten yourself into because of your cupidity is challenging. You're pretty damn lucky that I like a challenge."- he said lowly. "Keep in mind all that. Also, keep in mind that Susan Vandom is the least of your problems. These girls, her daughter's friends, are more dangerous than they look like. I see them using their different connections in society to protect Will and her family like four _guardians_ of some sort... The way they look at me with open hatred, the way they oppose me is what I find concerning."

Serena crossed her arms and snorted. Will's friends were all that Jessie found alarming in their entire problem? He was insane!

"They're just a bunch of insolent brats."-she huffed. "Who cares about them?! I think that you should be more on guard with some of their parents, Theresa Cook for example."

"You're so annoyingly naïve."- Jessie stood up from his place and walked to the window. "Theresa Cook and Thomas Lair, and all the others you are so afraid of, are ordinary people that take certain notable positions in Heatherfield's godforsaken society. They have that to back them and it explains their demeanor. It also makes them easy to deal with. It's these girls that have no visible reason to feel so...overpowered. You were Will Vandom's stepmother for ten years, haven't you noticed it before?"

"No."- Serena snapped. "I may be naïve, but you're the one letting their love for challenges take a toll on them!"

But as she said that, she suddenly remembered a scene from the last summer. A scene that had shocked her. Both literally and figuratively...The night when she had aimed a gun at Susan Vandom, and her daughter had confronted her without any fear. Will had looked at her so sternly and intrepid, it hadn't felt right. That was not the way someone looks at a person who threatens their life...Susan had been terrified, but the young woman had just been angry. Her anger had somehow made Serena drop her gun down; suddenly she was shocked by strong static electricity, but the most disturbing thing in the entire situation had been that even then the redhead had appeared unfazed and even _expecting_ that to happen...

"I'm telling you, Sera, these girls don't fear me one bit."- Jessie voiced his thoughts out loud again, glance lost in the snowy distance. "And people who don't fear the police are often more dangerous than they appear. What is more, they are to be feared themselves."

* * *

The night was cold and quiet. The city was sleeping. Every home in Heatherfield was quiet and sleepy under the falling snow...Every but the Ashcroft family apartment, where there was tension waiting to splash all around the surface.

The time was around two in the morning. Nigel Ashcroft was peacefully sleeping on his stomach, snoring quietly. He was tired after a long day of work and studies. He was to finish his last year in University and be a graduated psychologist... that and his commitment to Matt's musical business, of course. They had been the all-time favorite school band and had experienced and achieved so much together; now that their lead singer was a successful artist neither did he forget about his old bandmates nor did they. But the psychology major was what Nigel was really working hard on, for almost four years now. As far as his girlfriend and closest friends were concerned, his personal stimulus in that was his own mother's mental condition that had been unstable for years...

But Nigel and his aspirations needed sleep. And sleep was something which he couldn't stick to when his girlfriend jumped up in their bed, startling him with a sudden loud gasp.

"Taranee?! What's the matter?"- he exclaimed groggily, rubbing the sleep from his eyelids. "Nightmare?"

But when Taranee turned on her night lamp and proceeded to get dressed in a warm woolen sweater and a pair of leggings, the man just buried his head in the pillow and grunted. By now he could tell when and why his girlfriend was alarmed. And a mere nightmare could hardly do it for the guardian of Fire...

"More like a night call."- Taranee looked over at the young man apologetically. "Sorry I woke you up, Nigel. I'll try to be quieter next time. It's just that...Irma was being way too loud than needed in my head, and I'm easy to startle."

Nigel flashed her a tired smile. Maybe some other guy would be disturbed and weirded out by such a statement, but not him. He knew his girlfriend and all her quirkiness and secrets. Taranee was a brave guardian and warrior, and he was proud of her.

"It's all sweet, Taranee. Is there some major crisis going on or...?"

"No, it's just another mission of inquiring."- Taranee replied as she took one last look of herself in the mirror on her wardrobe. "Don't worry. I'll take the stairs because the others are in front of our building, but on my way back I'll teletransport. You go back to sleep."

"Love you."- he murmured as she gave him a peck.

"Love you too."

Turning the light off, the guardian exited the bedroom with a smile. And to think that she had once been afraid to tell Nigel about her double identity! He was so supportive and good. He was the best.

All that was left for Taranee to do was to put her jacket on. She was already in her boots when Irma telepathically urged her to hurry up.

_I'm coming!_ \- Taranee snapped mentally and was just about to open the exit door...

"Oh, my god!"

She needed a second to catch her breath. Then she focused her attention on the figure that had just scared the crap out of her:

"Monica, you scared me."- she whispered. "Do you umm... need something?"

Monica Ashcroft had once been a beautiful auburn-haired woman with sparkling eyes, but now she was just a dull shadow of her once self. The constant medicine intake had made her looks and personality fade to the point where she looked ten years older than she actually was.

Taranee carefully estimated the current situation as she watched the older woman tilt her head. Sadly, Taranee knew about most of her problems and mental issues that she had further developed over the years, but not the initial reason or cure to them, just like all the specialists that had worked with Mrs. Ashcroft. Even before being diagnosed with schizophrenia over 14 years ago, Monica had always been a tad off the rocker. That had been why her husband had divorced her. Taranee knew the infamous cruise story of how upon saving Nigel, who had then been just a baby, from drowning, his older brother Daniel had received a slap from their mother. Monica had blamed her older son for putting his younger brother in danger repeatedly. That had caused a series of problems for Daniel himself, but thankfully his share of issues had been manifested and exhausted in the form of ordinary teen rebelling.

Monica Ashcroft had only worsened over the years and in part, that had been the reason for Theresa not wanting her daughter to have much to do with her son, to Taranee's big embarrassment.

Now, more than ten years later, the troubled woman was living with her son and his girlfriend for the third week, waiting for the urgent renovations in her apartment to be finalized. Naturally, Theresa wasn't too thrilled to find out about that, but Tarnaee had been firm when telling her that her opinion is not needed. She loved Nigel and was in awe by the way he had managed to keep his state of mind and character, despite all the terrifying things he had been through with his family. The very least she could do was support his mom when she had nowhere to go.

"Where are you going?"- Monica asked with an empty look. Her eyes practically went through Taranee, but the young woman knew that she was asking a sensible question.

"I'm going to run and get some things from my parents' house."- she lied soothingly as she helped Monica get back to her room. "I'll be back soon. You should rest, okay? And don't worry, everything's alright. Nigel is sleeping in our room. Would you like some water?"

Taranee turned and smiled warmly at the other woman. She had helped her get back to her bed in the guest bedroom. Monica didn't respond, but Taranee still poured a glass of water from the jug on the nightstand and handed it to her.

"Ta-ranee. Be careful."

That warmed her heart up. Taranee turned at the door and looked at Monica with appreciation. She even blew her a quick air-kiss:

"I promise, I will, don't worry, Monica. Sweet dreams."

But as she turned the lights off and was about to head out, the fire guardian heard Monica's voice from the guest room again. Her voice was suddenly much deeper and colder:

"Things are not as they appear."- she declared. "Things are not as they appear!"

"Monica?"

"Things are not as they appear!"- Monica hissed and stood up abruptly, startling Taranee for real this time.

Watching the woman approach her in the dark was more than terrifying. With every other step, the aging face, twisted in an unnatural expression came closer and closer. But somehow, the guardian didn't move, she waited for Monica to come to her. The older woman stopped right in front of her face and once their eyes met, Monica's rolled to the back to her head:

"Oh, my God..."- Taranee cried, scared that the troubled woman was having a seizure. What had triggered her crisis? She had taken her medicine the previous evening... But before she could reach to help her out, Monica slapped her hand and started talking again:

"Things are not as they appear! The raven lock! Look behind the raven lock."

"Monica, what the-"

"Things are not as they appear! Find the raven lock! Open the raven lock! _The raven lock!_"

With that, Monica walked back to her bed and got under the covers, turning her back to the door where Taranee stood aghast.

A few minutes later, when she made it to the front of the building, where Cornelia's white Mercedes awaited her arrival, Taranee was lost in her thoughts. She almost didn't mind Irma offhandedly pulling her inside the vehicle.

"Finally! Captain, we have the dawdling damsel. Full gas to the Rudolph house!"

"Taranee, for all the time you wasted upstairs, you could've at least applied some lip gloss."- Cornelia noted from the driver's seat. "We said "hurry up", not "grow pretty up there"."

"Hey, hey, hey."- Irma pouted. "How about you don't steal my lines, Corny. Or I'll see you in court."

Irma bit her tongue, but it was already too late. Hay Lin and Cornelia flashed her angry looks, but the inappropriate joke had been made and that was that. Will, however, appeared to be unfazed by it.

"Hay Lin had a dream about the poem written on the phantom door."- she let Taranee in on the details. "And it was a rather interesting dream, if you ask me."

"I was another person and I was killed... I saw the poem which we have translated, but it was altered. I think that our poem is altered, actually."- Hay Lin narrated with wide open, big eyes. "What we read on that door in the palace, is an altered fragment. A fragment of a longer poem. The prophecy of the Dark Descendant. Ever since I woke up, this name is what's been in my mind...'Blue Bijou County'. I'm sure that it's where we must go and look for answers."

"It's an actual county on Coronia."- Will confirmed, clasping onto the scroll of the Coronian map which they had brought. "A very remote province to the capital's district. That only proves it. We have to go there and get to the bottom of this whole entire poem mystery once and for all."

Taranee nodded, still partly overwhelmed by her personal experience with Monica's seizure. It was normal for Nigel's mother to fall into states of delusion if she hasn't taken her pills, which she had the previous evening...There, however, had been nothing normal in her speech. It had been...oddly eerie and specific._ The raven lock_, Taranee pondered. _Things are not as they appear. What the hell does that mean..._ In the end, she shook her head, deciding to free herself of these thoughts and just concentrate on the mission. It looked like the most sensible decision at this point:

"Hay Lin."- she turned to her Asian friend sitting next to her. "When you say that our poem fragment is altered... What does the original one sound like? Do you by chance remember what you saw in that vision?"

Hay Lin nodded livelily and pulled a piece of paper from the pocket of her bright pink coat:

"It's a tricky change, but it gives it a totally different sense, don't you think, Tara?"

* * *

_**Coronia, 4:49 AM**_

When their space fold opened in the outskirts of the Coronain capital, it was already almost dawn time. Time difference between Earth and Coronia was only about three hours, but the sun was yet to rise when the five transformed guardians started their flight in the cool-aired sky, headed for the Blue Bijou. Taranee was entangled in her thoughts and worries the entire time. After what felt like a never-ending journey, she and her friends had landed in front of the entrance gate of the old county. 'Bijou', however, was the last word Taranee would use to describe what she saw upon landing.  
It looked like this settlement long didn't represent its name with pride. The tall walls of the rampant were overwhelmed by poison ivy. High impassable grass prevented anyone from passing through the once glittering azure gates, the shine of which was just a pale memory today.

"Oh, goody. From all the places that there are on the "luxurious" planet, we'll end up in a creepy abandoned village."- Irma smirked at Hay Lin. "Makes perfect sense to me."

"Umm, Irma, it's the 'golden' planet."- she corrected her while looking at what lay ahead of them. This place had to be the size of a regular neighborhood back in Heatherfield. But the Blue Bijou had obviously been desolated for many years. In spite of that, the air that the young woman sensed was heavy and full of tiredness. She could swear she could feel something...something _present_. Hay Lin knitted her brows. That was a little odd. For a place that has no living inhabitants. Perhaps there was something else. A big misfortune of some sort, linked to this very county. It was quite an obvious idea, but Hay Lin thought it was only logical.

"Corny, mow the lawn-"

"I'm on it."- Will didn't need to finish her words. Cornelia was already taking care of the obstacle.

The plants obeyed her will and started clearing the way for the group of five young women. Taranee set a few fireballs flying around them as to provide light since the sun had not yet risen.

The Blue Bijou had once been a beautiful place, but still, not near as grand as the rest of the realm where they had visited. The buildings that were unveiled in front of their eyes as Cornelia's power made the lush vegetation shrink, were mostly renaissance-looking houses built of golden bricks, with once brilliant blue roofs whose glow, like that of the gates, had worn off over time. There were buildings of other shapes and sizes here and there, perhaps once serving the various social and vital purposes of the people of this county. This county that was so oddly abandoned and forgotten ...

_But why?_ Taranee couldn't help but wonder. _If there is no poverty and misery in Coronia, then why did people abandon this place altogether?_

"Someone else getting strong 'Chernobyl' vibes from this place?"- Irma's half-joking, half-serious voice interposed between the dark-skinned guardian's thoughts. "I mean look at this! If Hay didn't dream about it, we wouldn't even know it existed. What else do we not know about Elyon's future kingdom expansion."

Her four friends exchanged glances. Irma waited for their reply, but instructions were faster to follow:

"Cornelia, you and Irma go right. Taranee and Hay Lin go left. Trek the entire place down and if you find anything, call us. We'll all teletransport to the group which discovers the reason we were summoned here first."

"Will and you?"- Taranee exclaimed. "Are you going to look around on your own?!"

"Yeah, Will, you can't do that."- Irma joined in. "You're coming with us. Ms. Perfection and I need the bala-"

"I'll be fine."- Will interrupted her a little sharper than she had intended. "I'll take the time to try to use the Heart's powers to scan the entire county from above. You know that the Heart senses danger. I want to make sure that we're safe."

Her answer didn't seem to satisfy the rest of the guardians, but none of them objected. They knew better than to argue with her in the state she was.

"Fine then."- Cornelia said tensely. She had finally managed to lower the majority of plants from the walls of the buildings and the streets, that was a tad more passable, now that the walls of 6-foot grass were shrunken. "We'll keep our telepathic channels online. None of us should get distracted. This is serious. Elyon and Meridian's entire fate depends on this planet's unhinged secrets."

* * *

"This is _ridiculous_!"- Cornelia huffed, ten minutes later, as she and the water guardian went through the remaining belongings of one of the abandoned houses in the Blue Bijou. Evidently, the inhabitants of this two-story building had been in a hurry to leave. Just like everyone else in the county...The majority of their things- clothes, jewelry, books, had been left behind.

"We shouldn't be letting her be all alone! She lost a baby! She's hurting so much right now and we just let her be alone! Will needs a break. A break! Enough is enough with this trammel!"

"Chill out, Cornelia. And focus on our job. The faster we get out of here the better."

In the dark room, the blonde stared at the Latina in perplexity. Irma was casually going through the bookcase. Had she fallen on her head or something?

"How can you say of all people say that?"- she mumbled and then attacked her viciously: "Can't you see how Will worsens with every passing day, I thought that you always put your friends first, Irma, what happened to girls before flings-"

"First of all, it's 'my chicks before dicks'. Not that that has anything to do with this sit."- Irma corrected her with annoyance. "And second of all, I do worry about Will, but I already told you I have a plan. I'm already helping her."

"You did _not_ tell me that!"

Irma stopped to think about it for a second.

"Oh, that's right. You were late and only Hay-Hay heard me. Anyhow, if you'd also like to help, Corny, I'll tell you what you can do. Don't worry. Will's gonna be fine very soon."

Cornelia blinked a few times, but her anger had not yet faded:

"Well, of course, I'd like to help! Why wouldn't I? You think you're the only one who cares about her? Or maybe you think that_ I_ don't care enough about Will. How dare you assume- "

"No, no, it's nothing like that!"- Irma held her hands up in a peace-seeking manner. "I just knew you have a lot of things to do with Killian and your failing degree, I didn't want to pressure you. I know that you value Will. Chill. I'll tell you what we'll be doing in order to make it easier for Will. The first step is going to be tomorrow evening. We'll sink our teeth into that jackass Alexis's lying-"

"Alright, no need for brusque forms of speech."- the Earth guardian stopped her friend.

She gave her a tentative look but didn't even get into an argument over Irma just shading her university progress like she'd normally do. She was too intrigued by her words regarding the vice inspector, who the young mother despised from her first meeting with him. If Irma had a plan to teach him a lesson and help Will at the same time, then she was totally in.

* * *

"Well, that has been a waste of time and effort. There's nothing here, Hay Lin. Nothing!"

"Irma, I know what I felt! After so many years, do you think I can still be wrong about a vision-dream? Especially when I've never been wrong."

Irma and Cornelia looked at each other. They had been investigating for over an hour and no one had been able to find anything remarkable in the county. Now they were all gathered in one of the many buildings, a significantly larger house that almost looked like it had once been a manor.

But even though they had found nothing so far, the young Asian kept insisting, making the water guardian scowl. She wasn't questioning her powers or abilities, not at all. In fact, Irma was convinced that there were still many things about Coronia in the unknown. She just felt like all that could wait. None of them were going anywhere, especially not Leonida and Phobos, who were under home arrest. Whatever back-stage drama happened in this kingdom, Elyon would easily manage once receiving the crown. She wasn't in a hurry to make that happen, anyway. Who cared about this stupidity the "Dark Descendant"? Magana and her crazy-ass daughter were old news. So was their cult.

_Besides_, Irma frowned. If she was to get any sleep at all, she had to go back home soon. She had important work the next evening, work regarding Jessie Alexis and Will's reputation. She needed at least 4 hours of sleep to be efficient!

"No, Hay Lin, of course, we're totally with you on that. I more than anyone want everything to be staid before Elyon sits on the throne."- Cornelia flipped her long blonde hair to the left side. "But maybe we're missing something. Maybe we need Dua to be able to unveil the information which you could steal a glimpse of, in your dream."

"I...I don't know."- Hay Lin confessed reluctantly. She had been so hyped to be over with this drama. Now they were just up the corner of another deadlock. "Maybe, Cornelia, but I didn't see or hear anything about Dua in my dream..."

Taranee, who stood nearby, frowned at that. They still didn't know what Dua had to do with the cult and the phantom room, which only he could open. What was the reason? Blood magic, that was what Nerissa had said. But that made no sense. Why couldn't Magana open the room on her own? And Andan? They were all of the same blood... There had to be something else to the entire story.

"I'm telling you."- Irma insisted. "Dwelling in the past can be avoided right now. Right now, we hold the reins! If we keep things under control, this cult story, the entire "Dark Descendant" prophecy will never become a thing again. It's always people who bring myths and stories to life, making them dangerous. Elyon has all the right people out of the way. I say we forget the past and focus on the present."- and she eyed Taranee and Hay Lin meaningfully.

Hay Lin opened her mouth to retort, but the objection came from Cornelia, much to Irma's surprise.

"Oh, come on, don't tell me you're not at least a little bit curious what this is all about. And even if Elyon visibly has no obstacles in front of herself, we can never be sure."

The Latina frowned. She had been under the impression that she and the blonde have already reached a consensus. It was far more important to expose Jessie Alexis and clear out the Vandom's name.

"Curiosity killed the cat, Corny. For someone who owns a magic cat, you shouldn't be taking such risks."

"And just what is that lame joke supposed to suggest?"- Cornelia snapped and turned to her with tightened fists.

"I'm just saying that you should shut up and we should all leave this stupid place where we found absolutely nothing!"- Irma snapped in response. "And don't even start with Hay Lin's dream. I know she's onto something, but whatever it is, it can wait! This primeval prophecy has waited a couple of hundred years, it can wait a few more weeks!"

Taranee, who was illuminating the dark room with her fireball, just shook her head watching the two women glare at each other like two wild cats. She was not in the mood for their endless fights.

"Irma, why would you say that?"- Hay Lin exclaimed. "We're trying to solve a mystery here. It's what we do! As guardians!"

"Listen, babes, there's no other person who has loved guardianhood from the very beginning like me! Except maybe you, Hay!"- Irma began loudly, shifting her glare from Cornelia to the Asian, to Taranee and the other way around. "But that doesn't change the fact that I'm sick and tired of Coronia and all it's crap! Tell me, why must I care about something which is no longer a threat?! After years of following orders from Kandrakar, they haven't given us any instructions regarding this terrible planet! So, why are we doing it?! I understand, as Elyon's friends, we want to give her a good future, and that's why we check every little detail a hundred times, fine! I was OK with that, but you know what? I'm sick of that girl and her problems! Yes, Cornelia, don't look at me like that. I've said what I said."

Taranee was giving her a somewhat judgy look. Hay Lin was clearly uncomfortable and Cornelia was just taken aback. She stared at her with those wide-open bluebottle eyes, but Irma didn't care. She breathed heavily:

"If there's one thing Nerissa's right about, it is that Elyon is constant magnet for trouble. She creates problems for herself! And I'm beginning to think that it's some sort of mental deviation, you know- "

"Irma, don't!"- Taranee yelled, pointing a finger at her. "Don't you dare use that word when simply bitching out about someone, you have no idea what people who have certain "deviations" go through! What their families go through!"

"I don't have time for your lectures, Taranee."- Irma barked. "Get off my case! Everything I say is some big offense to you lately. Quit it out already, I'm trying to make a point-"

"No, I will not let you be rude and ignorant, not when I see a person struggling every day! Nigel! I see Nigel and his brave attempts not to fall apart each time he sees his mother hurt because of her mental illness."- the Fire guardian said in a low voice, glaring daggers at the other woman.

"Oh, oh! I have an idea! Let's all just never use any phrases or proverbs ever again, because Taranee's sensitive side has been unlocked by her boyfriend's mother!"- Irma exclaimed mockingly. "I'm not trying to lose even more time here, I'm trying to tell you why we have bigger problems than what cult that deceitful frog Magana and her unhinged daughter have participated in!"

"Irma, just relax."- Hay Lin tried to calm the situation down. "We've acted without instructions from Kandrakar before. I'm just saying that since we're already here, we might as well search harder. My dreams never occur too early or too late, which means now's the time to solve these Coronian questions. As for Elyon, I get where you're coming from, but she's our friend and-"

"Will's our friend before Elyon, but y'all don't seem to think of her and how we are supposed to be helping her instead of being here!"- Irma pulled from the other guardian's grip. "And I don't care whether we've known Elyon for a longer time, I don't even have anything in common with her! Why should I constantly think of her ass?! Will will always be my babe! My girl! Her life is crumbling to pieces right now, and you're too busy being concerned about Elyon and her idiotic problems, results of her mistakes?"

"Irma..."- Hay Lin bit her lips and dared to look at Cornelia. But the outbreak which she expected didn't seem to be coming any time soon. Instead of frustrated and aggressive, Cornelia appeared to be crestfallen upon hearing what the water-witch had to say. "Irma, we all love Will, I care about her more than I care about myself, trust me. But we've already started doing some things to help her out, haven't we? Our work as guardians and that as Will's friends are not mutually exclusive- "

"Then let's just leave already, what's the big deal?"- Irma crossed her arms on her chest stubbornly. "What outrageous did I say anyway? I said that we already spent enough time in the fucking abandoned county, we can leave further investigations for _after_ the court hearing, how about that? Coronia and its old secrets won't run away in the meantime."

Hay Lin tried to choose the best words to retort to that. She usually got along with Irma quite well. It was Cornelia whose explosive reactions she usually had to find suitable ways to deal with. But this time Irma was beyond herself.

"Hay Lin, don't waste your time."- Taranee interjected coldly from her corner. "Trying to talk sense into her when she's on the ball about something is like trying to get blood from a stone. She won't listen. I suggest we contact Will and discuss last actions before we indeed leave. We're all tired, we need to rest. Plus, Irma will be happy."

"Oh, I'm not done with you Taranee Cook! I can make you bleed with a stone if you're so eager."

"Irma!"

Cornelia and Hay Lin exchanged glances in distress. The darkened room was about to erupt in black and blue, as it seemed.

"Just drop it, Irma. I don't feel like fighting with you at all."- the fire guardian folded her arms on her chest. "Not tonight. Not when you're so pointlessly ignorant and I'm tired-"

"Then why are you being so damn dramatic!"- Irma yelled back. "It's not just tonight, it's ever since! I've always had you lecture me because I thought that you can teach me things, Taranee, but you don't know simple things like loyalty and love for those who've been there for you!"

"I'm being dramatic?!"- Taranee's eyes reflected the fire in her palm fiercely. "How am I being dramatic or disloyal, I'm just trying to teach you to be less crude and think before you speak!"- she cried. "You make fun of all so serious topics each time and we let it all slide because you're a joke-making person, but that doesn't mean that I'll let you trash talk things which I see Nigel go through with so much effort and pain-"

"I'm talking about WILL! WILL! Who's even talking about Nigel or his crazy mother? You're the one who- "

"There you go, you're doing it AGAIN! YOU'RE DOING IT AGAIN!"-Taranee screamed and pointed at her. "Just SHUT UP! Will doesn't need your obnoxious help; she won't accept it like that! You're demanding and your way of offering assistance borders with violation of one's personal space!"

"BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!"- Cornelia demanded, but her two friends didn't listen. Taranee's words would echo in the room after minutes:

"And don't you even think of talking about loyalty to me, Irma Lair. It's just another joke coming out of your mouth!"

Irma's eyes glistened with fury at that:

"What did you just say to me?! Why not!? I've never been disloyal to anyone! You're the one who needed months to forgive their boyfriend for being supportive and inquiring! That's why you're so obsessed with his profession and his crazy mother, I get it! Your guilty self is making up for being a stuck-up bitch! You're the one who needs a bunch of time to remember what being loyal and giving is all about!"

_"Irmaaaa- "_

Cornelia pressed her two hands against her temples in defeat, as Hay Lin gasped in shock. Listening to this mad scandal was a torture. The blonde guardian was this close to slamming both her friends in the opposite walls. What the hell was going on with them, they never fought like this!? This was beyond ridiculous...These harsh words, these crushing, spiteful statements...But before she could react, the very next such statement came ringing out of the deeply insulted Taranee's mouth:

"Really! Really, Irma?! So, we're just gonna ignore the fact that you've had loyalty under your nose for years?! You've had it for years, but you failed to appreciate it to the point where you even had a one-night stand with Caleb's friend behind your now boyfriend's back? Wow! You're the epitome of loyal!"

There was a grave silence for almost an entire minute after that. Hay Lin did not dare breathe. Cornelia blinked as if someone had just slapped her, turning to Irma, whose cheek suffered the scalding sensation of a single hot tear rolling down:

"Irma...I swear, I never told any- "

"I know you didn't, I did."- Irma shook her head looking straight at Taranee, who avoided her gaze. She was now regretting being as harsh, but it was too late. Besides, the words had just come flowing out of her mouth. She had been so very angry... "I told her. We got into a fight, fine, I'll take anything. Shit happens. I'll take any clap-back to the shit I said, because it's only fair, Taranee. What I won't have is you use something which I confided to you as a SECRET, to shut my mouth in front of everyone, you back-stubbing bitch!"

Her water ball extinguished Taranee's fire and submerged the entire room into utter darkness as the dark-skinned woman slumped to the ground, taken aback by the sudden push.

"Taranee! Oh, my, are you OK?"

"Irma!"- Cornelia yelled in the dark. "Irma, get back here! Where are you going? Don't be fucking stupid!"

But Irma was already on her way, walking through the dark building decisively. She wasn't going to spend another minute here. She was done.

"Will! WILL! I need a fold home! Now! I wanna leave!"

The other three guardians were on her tail, but making their way through an entirely dark house was a hard task. Thankfully, Hay Lin managed to keep track of the Latina by the sound of her voice as Cornelia held a glum Taranee's hand. They would have to sort out things later. Right now, however, she was too ashamed of herself to even use her fire powers to create light...

"Irma, we won't leave you alone!"- Hay Lin cried.

"Irma, get back here before you hurt yourself or something, Will's not-"

Cornelia couldn't finish her sentence because she almost bumped into the Water guardian. She had stopped dead in her tracks. Apparently, flying full speed after her had been a good idea. She took a look behind her shoulder to make sure that the other two were there, before turning her attention to the source of the pink lights.

It was..._the Heart_? Will was right next to it! In the long, narrow corridor they had all found themselves in, the redhead just stood, staring deep into the wall in front of herself, the Heart floating and glowing in front of her:

"Will, what is wrong with you? Snap out of it, babe!"- Irma was shaking her by the shoulders.

"It's no use, she's irresponsive."- Taranee concluded, following the redhead's empty gaze. "I wonder..."

"Hey, isn't that...isn't that a portrait of that woman from the phantom room in the Coronian Palace?!"- Cornelia exclaimed, having noticed the painting on the opposite wall too. "What is she doing here? Who is she?!"

Taranee had finally conjured a new ball of fire to shed light onto the wall they were all looking at.

The portrait was big and heavy, in a dark golden frame, but it wasn't moving like the one in the Aerate Edifice. The woman from the portrait stood proudly seated, staring at the artist with a strange mixture of grandeur and...emptiness. Like the emptiness that was now reflected in Will's eyes...

"Icona, Countess of the Blue Bijou..."- Irma read the description under the picture and then turned to the others with a hanging mouth. "This cult is getting creepier on the daily. Now it turns out that Magana and Leonida kept the body of this dead countess in their palace! It kinda explains why this place is abandoned... but I don't get it. She looks just like..."

"Like Leonida."- Cornelia murmured under her nose, staring up at the big portrait. She hadn't noticed the resemblance the last time, for the image in the phantom room had been moving around in what had appeared like pain and grotesque, but now she could see it on the still surface. Leonida was a striking image of this woman...

"This woman, I feel like...I feel like I was her in my dream."- Hay Lin uttered. "This woman was killed for the sake of the prophecy of the Dark Descendant!"

"But that still sheds no actual light on the case!"- Irma complained. "And why is Will like that...She's like hypnotized by the damn painting."

It was then when Hay Lin realized. That presence she could feel. That feeling she had felt in the air from the beginning. It wasn't just a bitter tinge left after a dreadful event. It was hunger. The inhuman hunger for energy which was currently being satisfied by something that fed on their friend...

"No, it's using her as a source of power!"- the Asian woman cried. "She's feeding off Will!"

What followed was quick and confusing, but the guardians reacted lightning-like. Irma used her mind control magic to try to make Will snap out of it, while Hay Lin blew back the objects which came flying at them, trying to stop them from releasing the redhead from her trance. The house was suddenly fighting against them. Trying to _kill_ them, as Cornelia concluded, both angry and appalled whilst repelling the attack of two enchanted machetes that came flying out of nowhere.

"This is ludicrous!"- she shouted, but Taranee's eyes had already fixated something on the wall. There, under Icona's portrait. Was that...A lock shaped like a raven. _The raven lock..._

"Things are not as they appear."- the Fire guardian mumbled, remembering Monica's words. "No... C-ornelia! Break that lock! Trust me."- she added in despair once Cornelia looked at her in perplexity. "Things are not as they appear...I'll explain later!"

"Here goes nothing..."- Cornelia sighed.

The Earth guardian didn't lose any more time. She slammed the little lock with her telekinesis, forcing it to unlatch. A powerful wave of response followed, sending the girls to the ground. Cold and dry female laughter sounded from all around them:

"No! We didn't give you permission to possess Will's body! Use me as a transmitter!"- Taranee yelled, jumping back on her feet. "Enough games, Icona. You're not strong enough. Release my friend at once, or I'll force you out!"

Will turned to face her. Her eyes that had changed their appearance, made Hay Lin gasp:

"Icona?!"

The possessed Will's lips curved into an eloquent smile:

"You are a fine set of little guardians, I see. But I'm afraid I can't do as you ask, only she has the spiritual weakness which allows me to talk through her body. I play no games. Trying to possess any of you would be a failure given my current state, and if you do drive me away, you'll never learn the truth."

It was Will's body, but the voice wasn't hers. Hay Lin blinked a few times, getting over the shock of what was happening. A real spiritual possession...She used her powers to check the ghost's sincerity as much as she could. Icona appeared to be speaking earnestly. Cornelia, however, was fast to give her the benefit of the doubt:

"Oh, really? What truth? No one around here seems to know what telling the truth means. Get to the point, why did you summon us here?"

"Yeah, and how are you unable to use our bodies to pass your messages, what if we give you consent? Isn't that how ghostly possession works?"- Irma folded her arms on her chest, eyeing the woman that had invaded Will's body, critically.

"She's too weak. She can only enter bodies of people who are going through a mental crisis."- Taranee explained, never removing her eyes from Will. She was ready to exorcise Icona's spirit at any moment in which she felt like she was threatening their friend's welfare. "That's why she managed to talk to me through Monica for a second."

"She possessed Monica too?!"- Hay Lin exclaimed. "You never told us- "

"It happened just before we met up. Anyhow, Icona's spirit is hindered by something. That room in the Palace, isn't that right, Icona? That's why you called us here, where your essence is mostly concentrated. Why you used that same essence to turn us against each other and feed on our negative emotions. Of course. Negative emotions are the easiest power-supplying food for all entities."

Cornelia and Irma exchanged glances. Icona smiled enigmatically:

"You're quite clever, guardian. I felt like I could count on you to convey my message."- she glanced at Taranee. "When I sensed guardians of Kandrakar after I regained a part of the control over my spirit, I saw my chance to convey what I've been unable to for 28 years. The Dark Descendant. The Dark Descendant must be stopped."

"Who is the Dark Descendant, anyway."- Cornelia crossed her arms on her defined chest. "We've been getting unclear suggestions and clues- "

"Not who, but what. What is the Dark Descendant in actuality."- Icona interrupted her. "Things are not as they appear. All I can do is provide you with more clues...It will be your task to turn them into powerful weapons against the true darkness."

"Can't you just tell us directly."- Irma frowned disappointedly. "Why is it that it's always about mysteriеs and riddles with our job- "

Icona shook her head. She was slowly starting to lose control over the redhead's body. Time was running short:

"I can't do much. My daughter did all the wrong things by locking my spirit and the essence of all the past queens. She's been a fool for so long, I'm not astounded by the fact that she's now transfigured into a flower."

"Your daughter..."- Hay Lin gasped.

"She's- "

"Magana used my advice, but she didn't follow it."- Icona went on. "She used it in an attempt to escape the prophecy. The prophecy cannot be escaped, foolish woman... Now it's almost too late to stop it. The Dark Descendant is rising, guardians. When the Dark Descendant rises, nothing will ever be the same."

"Countess Icona...did your daughter... Did the Queen kill you?"- Hay Lin asked with a dry throat, remembering her dream.

Icona left Will's body, letting it slump to the floor where Taranee and Irma rushed to her aid. Cornelia turned around startled, having seen the ghost оf the countess next to herself. She was vanishing, but before she did, a gust of ice-cold air went through the Air guardian's hair:

"No, Magana didn't kill me. What she did was much, much _worse_."

* * *

_**Fadden Hills, 11:25 AM**_

Kadma watered the leaves of the potted palms in the reception room with love. Being the former guardian of Earth, she was quite proud of what she had grown and how she maintained it- an entire jungle born by her own vivid dreams. Her estate, worth millions of dollars, was divided into three main parts - the large family home, bequeathed to her by her parents, and the huge glazed mansion that had become headquarters of the "Rising Star Foundation" during her teenage years. Both lots were covered with the Queen's majestic plants that she had brought back to their full glory even after being away on another planet for so many years. The third part of her estate was the storage rooms which the foundation held around the entire town.

Yes, Kadma Starlighter had always lived like a Queen, even before the Zamballans graced her with that title, but apart from the love she had for her plants, she had always had the great and selfless desire to help those in need with more than just prayers and donations. That was why she and her friend Halinor had started this foundation together during their last year of high school. Their first business and charity foundation, created by their shared humanitarian qualities and good nature. With her parents' money and Halinor's creativity, Kadma had realized this project here in her hometown, Fadden Hills, where she and the former fire guardian had officially moved back from Heatherfield.

Now, over 50 years after "The Rising Star Foundation" had started, they had thousands of successful proteges and millions of individuals given a chance to succeed on their own. That was how the Rising Star functioned; it trained people from all around the world to be successful and compassionate, helping them influence even more and more people to do the same afterward. It was a never-ending cycle for good. Building shelters, raising funds, different bazars and events for the needy, and providing with the basic essentials, were just a part of the things which the two ex-guardians' foundation had been doing for decades, even while they hadn't been present. All the businesses of their proteges had kept working, providing for the organization itself and raising funds just the same, never stopping the cycle.

One of their newest targets were Ember and Tridart, for sure. The newest additions to the Rising Star legacy.

Kadma looked through the window wall of the greenhouse-like reception room and saw her blonde friend talking to the former knights before the back entrance. She knew they were dear to her heart, Halinor saw children which she had never had in them...Kadma could second that. Ever since the two former villains had been turned human, they had been helping them tremendously- Ember was in charge of sorting donations and Tridart was one of their main carriers. It seemed almost surreal to watch the pair get up every morning with the sole desire to help others. They lived and worked with the two ex-guardians for something good. For the better good of so many people for whom the Rising Star was a main source of relief.

Being able to assert that, filled Kamda's heart with fulfillment and happiness.

"A two-day trip to donate ten tons of flour and sugar, and hundreds of other fresh products to six orphanages and two senior nursing homes around the state!"- Halinor's excited voice reached her ears once the blonde guardian entered the reception room. "This is their first big donation trip. Tridart and Ember will drive the truck which the rest of our drivers will follow during this auction. Isn't it simply phenomenal?!"

"It certainly is, Hal."- Kadma agreed and turned to her friend with a warm smile.

_Things like that almost make me fully forget about Kandrakar and its entire existence...How I cherish every moment in which that is so._

But the Queen shielded that thought of hers from Halinor. She knew that the Fortress of Infinity would forever be more than special to her. Halinor was currently walking on air and sharing her elation was all that Kadma wanted to do:

"It's thanks to all your counseling, you know. Nerissa helped change their form to human, but you made them human with your unabated humanism, Hal. Those who were once servants of negative emotions are now beautiful, caring young people."

Halinor shook her head cheerfully, making her light blonde curls bounce:

"Please, Kads. Do not underestimate your own merit by giving all the credits to me. Don't forget who helped the Rising Star function more than anyone else. It was you. You're a great woman and human being, Kadma. I can't think of a stronger and more devoted person than you. You keep both Zamballa and the Rising Star on your very shoulders."- she approached her and placed her hand on her cheek. Kadma looked up to her with a sparkling gaze and half-opened, half-pouted lips, colored in a plum color.

These violet-blue eyes meant so much to her. Halinor smiled warmly:

"One of the many reasons why you were chosen to be a guardian. And there's nothing to be ashamed of. You were a terrific guardian. You're exceptional till date, Kadma. Don't ever forget it."

Kadma smiled in response, putting her hand on top of the other woman's.

"Now, now. I have an excellent regent on Zamballa and a wonderful friend who helps me manage our dream on Earth- the Rising Star. You're that friend. You're wonderful, I'm so happy to be here with you, after all that we've been through."

Then they held each other in a tight, full of emotion embrace. A tear rolled down Halinor's cheek, falling on the back of Kadma's dark red, elegant robe.

"It feels unreal, doesn't it? A blessing, Kadma, that's the answer. We've been blessed to be where we are."

"After all the pain, I'd say we deserve it. All of us."

The emotional moment between the women, however, was interrupted when Kadma's loyal blackbird flew into the reception room with clear songs. Both of them knew what that meant very well- there was someone at the main entrance. But why didn't they ring the intercom system?"

"Chirik appears to be a little distressed."- Halinor noted as they made their way to the monitor wall that displayed all the activity which the surveillance cameras around the estate recorded. "He seldom reacts like that; I wonder who could have caused this distress? We have no appointments for the day."

The former Earth guardian nodded thoughtfully and zoomed in on the silhouette of a man standing in front of the gates. A man whose face they could barely see because of the low pot hat on his head.

"Is that the reason for your distress, Chirik?"- she asked, not removing her eyes from the screen.

"He...he could be someone in need."- Halinor hesitated.

"They why does he just stand there? Why doesn't he use the intercom? I better go check this myself."

Halinor nodded and started following her friend to the big doors and then through the snow-covered gardens. She wrapped herself tighter in her fine silk drape before the tamed blackbird landed on her shoulder. The chilly wind blew through her long blonde curls. Kadma was the one leading them with a wide and decisive step.

Fadden Hills was a true natural freezer in winter. Like every year, the town was covered in snow and the "Cypress Hills" made no exception, blending in with the entire white landscape. Kadma's evergreen trees, growing at the two sides of the mansion, were the only thing to contrast the snow. The mansion was placed on an enormous hill itself, proudly living up to the name of the neighborhood.

The gates opened at her command, revealing the man that stood in front of them. Upon realizing that he has been seen, he didn't bulge or bat an eye. In fact, the two women could not yet see his eyes well. His long trench coat and the hat on his head wrapped him in mystery. The only thing which was visible from his appearance were the red locks of hair under the low pot hat.

"May I be of some assistance?"- the Queen asked sternly, looking at the man from a short, but respective few meters. "What leads you to the "Rising Star Foundation"?"

"I sure hope so."- the man retorted in a low voice, finally looking up at them. Halinor blenched. That set of warm brown, almost auburn eyes... She had seen these very eyes before. "The Rising Star helped me get back on my feet when I was only 16...I've been a fool not to seek your help and guidance later on in my life. But now when I have no one else to turn to, I hope that you'll accept me."

Kadma blinked a few times. Normally, people who their foundation had helped, came back to Fadden Hills only to donate or show off how successful they've become. It was a rare occasion that someone would come with new problems...That could only suggest that they, as councilors, hadn't given the best they were capable of to help their proteges start off the right way.

"You've been a part of our programs? In which year? What is your name?"

The man didn't reply immediately. He lifted his head ever so slightly, locking his eyes with Kadma's:

"I came to you in the autumn of 1982."- he muttered. "I was just a stupid adolescent, but I confess with shame that I've grown to be an even stupider adult."

A clash of thunders sounded in Halinor's ears as he said that. She had suddenly realized the insanity. The truth. Apparently, Kadma had connected the dots too, because before her friend could reach her telepathically:

"You! You're-"

_\- Kadma, beware! Will's father knows, and must remain to know nothing about Kandrakar and magic._

\- _So you recognized him too! I don't understand, what does this man have to do with the Rising Star?_ \- Kadma couldn't wrap her mind around it. - _All that you've told me about him? Didn't you observe the lives of the girls' parents, up from Kandrakar, years before the new guardians even came to maturity? Is that not the same man who you claimed to have submerged Susan Vandom's life into misery and pain?_

-_ I haven't said that. Once they were a happy couple. But naturally, I haven't watched them under a magnifying glass 24/7_. - Halinor pondered with concern. - _The Council had many tasks, one of which was to keep an eye on the people who'll birth the next guardians. But that was that. Then we had to create events in their lives so that each girl could follow the natural way of her element and meet up with the others in Heatherfield, where the five elements always meet to unite. I really don't understand how and what links Will's father to the Rising Star..._

"Excuse me?"- Tony's voice interrupted the two former guardians' telepathic conversation, bringing them back to reality. "Don't you remember me, Mrs. Clarkson?"

"I-I?"- Halinor was at a loss of words. Tony obviously knew her, which suggested that she had to remember him as well. He had to be telling the truth; there was no other way he could know her name... He had been among all the people their foundation had helped. _But then how_, Halinor wondered. _How did I not recognize him while observing Susan's life from the Fortress? How did I not realize that a boy who has been aided by our association is the father of the new keeper..._

"I know, I've aged."- Tony laughed nervously. "But you, not so much! Mrs. Clarkson, you gave me shelter and helped me find a part-time job. Helped me finish school and later start college... I was an orphan when I came to Fadden Hills, but thanks to the foundation, I succeeded in life."- Tony's eyes lost their sparkle as he said that. He ran a hand over his gelled back red hair and added, quietly: "But I've not always succeeded. Not in every department either. That's why I'm here again."

The two women looked at each other. Something was baffling in the entire story, but what was it? What were they missing?

"1982..."- Kadma murmured. _More than 10 years before the Veil had us trapped in the respective realms..._

"The year your father passed away, Hal. The year I traveled to Mumbai. You came back from _K... Hampshire_"- she changed the word in the last minute, eyeing the man. "You spent a couple of months here while I was out of the country."

Halinor blinked, going back in retrospect. It all seemed so distant after everything, but her friend was right.

"That's right! Your partner was away and you had concerns regarding how you'll manage the foundation."- Tony confirmed.

"Well...that does sound like me..."- Halinor smiled faintly, staring at Tony. "But there's something I don't understand. I mostly remember every individual we've helped forge a better future. Especially if I have been in charge at the time. Why do you fail to ring a bell in my head?"

She carefully eyed her friend, who crossed arms on her chest. Chirik was silent on her shoulder. That was the best way she could be evasive enough without saying out loud the obvious which the guardian's father couldn't know about. He couldn't know that they knew him for being Will's father. A connection that would threaten to betray their double identities...

"What is more, we like to keep track of all our proteges and be in touch with them."- Kadma added. "Your image and identity remain somehow unfamiliar. You didn't tell us your name."

That wasn't necessarily a lie. It was a mere stealth. They had many files, they wouldn't normally make such a statement without doublechecking, but in Tony's case it was obvious. They knew who he was, but they couldn't just say it was so, hence a more delicate approach was needed.

Tony appeared to be unabashed. There was something devious, yet charming in his smile, as he replied:

"I understand. Perhaps you should check under the name Thomas Vandom. That used to be my name once."

That was the moment when the memories started to flash like in a film in front of the former Fire guardian's eyes. Thomas Vandom. The rainy autumn of 1982...Her father's death had left her in deep grief and tears. As if she wasn't going to be grieving Cassidy's loss forevermore...But life was like that- cruel. The Oracle had been considerate enough to ask her to return to Earth herself. After her father's funeral and long talks on the phone with Kadma and Yan Lin, she had traveled to Fadden Hills.

When the young Thomas had found himself in "Cypress Hills", skin and bone, afraid and alone, the ex-guardian had promised herself to help him pull through. And he had soon bounced back- Thomas had been an orphan, but with her help he had been able to take his life in his own hands. Time had passed, implacable as always. She committed from Kandrakar from time to time and observed his progress. By the age of 19, Thomas had been a new man and then, just like that, he had disappeared. Halinor hadn't had the time or energy to look for him again. She had figured that he was just ready to live as an adult and had let him fly on his own.

As she remembered all that now, the blonde looked at Tony with indulgence. He had indeed turned into a new man. Just not exactly the type he had promised her to be... How much a name could really change and hide in a man.

"Thomas...Why didn't you say so from the start? I remember you. Of course, I do"- Halinor said quietly. The other woman turned to her incredulously, but she didn't pay attention. She would explain everything later. Right now, she was focused on Tony, who shifted in his place a tad nervously. It was true that the former guardian was mostly tender and soft, but when her blue eyes burned, they burned- seeing right through one's soul and faults, making them feel uncomfortable.

"So...As I was saying, I...pretty much need a shoulder right now. I'm maybe facing one of the hardest periods in my life."- Tony cleared his throat and looked at the two women expectantly. He couldn't wrap his mind around it, but he could tell. The moment they had actually recognized him, their glances had gone colder. As if they... knew? But how was it possible?! Unless...

"Mrs. Clarkson, do you by any chance happen to know any other Vandoms? I'm just asking, as it is a common name and-"

"Let's get inside, _Tony._"- Halinor nodded at the mansion. "We will drink tea and have a heart-to-heart. Come on in.

At first, he started walking, but then he stopped, a smiting feeling stuck in his throat. He hadn't mentioned his new name even once. How the hell did his old counselor know? Tony considered the idea of turning around and leaving, but then he heard it. The gates closed behind him.

For the longest second in his life, Tony Vandom just stood in one place, trying to wrap his mind around what was happening around here. The two women also stopped; their backs turned to him. There was something off in the entire setting, but he couldn't tell why. He had come too far to turn back as well. He renewed his steps.

Having heard him approach, the two former guardians also began walking towards the inside of the mansion again. It was too cold to function out in the open. As they walked, they exchanged glances. They both knew very well that what was to happen in the next moments would be out of major importance. It required vigilance and skill. Not even a minute of inattention was allowed if they wanted to help.

The fact that they were once guardians did not really disparage the fact that they had just welcomed an alleged murderer in their estate.

* * *

_TRIVIA:  
__Rakija*- is the collective term for fruit brandy popular in the Balkans. The alcohol content of rakia is normally 40% ABV, but home-produced rakia/rakija can be stronger (typically 50%)._

**_And so the plot continues to deepen and expand. Icona first appeared in chapter 25, check it out again if you've lost the trail of events. I played with the information from the comics and the cartoon just a bit to make Tony's past connected to the Former Guardians. If you've read the first 20 issues, you will recognize some parts of them here. Others are from the show and third are from my respective combined Universe. (like I always do. I like to combine. :) )_**

_**This chapter is the first of a double-chapter culmination moment, so be ready for more. See u soon! :)**_


	30. High Tide Part Two

**Disclaimer: The concept of this chapter was created months ago. It does not intend to reflect or comment on the current situation concerning the police guild in the USA, or those who've been wronged by it. This is fiction. Please, have that in mind in case something in here triggers anyone. Thanks. **

* * *

_**Chapter 30: High Tide Part Two**_

_"We're not afraid of monsters, because we're witches. And you just confessed to killing one of our sisters' baby. Do you know what we'll do to you?"_

* * *

A Xanax and a glass of milk. Strong coffee, an apple, and a little toast: Susan Vandom-Collins's morning routine had been this consistent ever since a corpse had been found in the condo which she had inherited from her late ex-husband. Upon being introduced to the more than high chance of her late ex-husband actually being alive, she had just doubled the dose of Xanax.

Just the thought. The idea that Tony Vandom had made her mourn his death while being alive, made her entire being scream internally. She hated him. She hated herself for ever falling in love with him. And all that their daughter was going through because of that...It was just unacceptable. _Unbearable._

Dean could see the hurt and depression she was getting herself under the influence of, every morning before he left for work. The mornings were most harrowing. She just sat and drank her coffee in silence. Never acknowledging him anymore. She would get lost in her own silenced agony. But that morning promised to be unexpectedly different. It all started with a phone call:

"Hello?"- Dean Collins had got dressed just in time to pick up.

"_Good day, can I talk to Susan Vandom, please_?"- the female voice on the other side of the line was dignified and strong, but also slightly tense. It was a voice unfamiliar to the teacher, who could only think how peeved he had felt upon hearing the unknown lady pronounce Susan's name without his surname at the back:

"Susan Vandom- _Collins_ is not available at the moment, but you may pass your message through me. I'm her husband. Who am I speaking to, by the way?"

The woman made a pause before replying to that. Collins looked at his watch- he was already running late for Sheffield.

"_I'm Kadma Starlighter, founder of the "Rising Star"_."- she said in the end. "_I have something to share with your wife. Something quite delicate and personal_\- "Yes, I'm familiar with your foundation to a certain extent."- Dean stated. Having organized Community Service day for many years, he had heard of most of the charitable organizations in the region. "Thank you, but Susan is not interested in any help-offering programs, social work, or fundraisers. Our situation is indeed specific, but we will manage on our own."

"_No, that's now what I'm calling for!_"- Kadma was quick to say. "_I have a...delicate thing to say to her, I already told you, Mr. Collins. It's not something to be said over the phone, anyway._"

"Ms. Starlighter, you ought to be more direct if you'd like to convey anything. Believe me, I'm not meaning to be rude. Our family is going through a lot of trials and tribulations right now. We can't afford any distractions."

In the reception room of the manor, Kadma turned to Halinor with a stiff expression. Halinor shook her head, urging her to say something else. They had nothing better to do. They had to set the cards on the table:

"I'd like to invite you and your wife here, in Heahterfield. Get yourself a pen. The address is: 'Laurel Road 4514, Hellenic Heights.'. You'll see an old house with etno blue façade near the old plum and cherry gardens."

"_Mam, you're not being_\- "- Dean was just about to argue, but Kadma interrupted him, stating firmly:

"It's out of vital importance for Susan to come, Mr. Collins! Do not ask any questions, because I cannot answer them over the phone. All I'll say is that we're going to be waiting for you after two hours. Do come. What we have to offer will greatly help Susan deal with her current hardships."

"I hope that that man cooperates in the right way."- the former Earth guardian sighed as she set the telephone aside and turned to the other women in the room.

They were currently in one of her many studies, custom made of cherry wood and adorned with warm lush colors. Halinor nodded her head encouragingly. Nerissa, who was casually sitting on top of the big desk, her long legs crossed, also showed her agreement:

"He will, trust me. The teacher is not someone who'd risk neglecting such a thing. Calling them to Halinor's old house was the right thing to do. The guardian and her mother can't really leave the city until the court makes the decision."

"And Thomas...I mean Tony. I wonder what his reaction will be. Whether he'll decide to act in his family's favor or not."- Halinor expressed her worries regarding the man, who was currently spending his second day in Fadden Hills, poppied with Kadma's herbal recipes, where they had practically kidnapped him.

After he had shown up at their door, all of a sudden, the two ex-guardians had taken things in their hands, seizing him and contacting the one person who would know what to do. Their once leader.

"Tony is a terrible man."- Kadma concluded fiercely, crossing her arms on her adorned by heavy amethysts chest. "He's the type to bring immense pain to those who have or still do love him, and that has been proven. I personally hope to see Susan Vandom report his finding to the authorities."

"Still and all, Kadma."- Halinor sighed looking over at the third woman, who listened to them. "I wish I had heard what he wanted to tell me before all that. He came to seek help...I once helped him back on his feet. I can only wonder whether I would've been able to do it again now- "

"Oh, don't you two bang your heads about it."- Nerissa appealed with a sly, yet comforting smile. "Once we take that man to meet his ex-wife, our part will be over. We will have done the right thing. Alleviating Will and her family's problems, proving once again that we are, and we will always be, guardians. We are good. Giving us new chances _has_ paid off. And_ that's_ the message which we want to convey."

* * *

_**Heatherfield, Hellenic Heights, two hours later**_

The yard of the house she had lived in so many years ago reminded her of all these mixed memories. Memories of happiness, tears and laughter. Fun afternoons with her girlfriends. Darling moments with her parents. That difficult spring when her mother had passed away, that Halinor remembered so clearly, even though she had been just four years old. Then, of course, her stepmother had appeared in their lives, and that had been when things had gone awry for her. Becoming a guardian had helped her to survive everything and to overcome all that threatened to cripple her happiness; especially dealing with Claudia, her dear father's hated second wife. Even after so many years, being in Hellenic Heights brought back the image of that blasted woman, who had poisoned her life before guardianhood. After guardianhood, it had been her time to suffer. Halinor couldn't help but smile remembering all the tricks she and the girls had played on Claudia with their powers. Her sweet revenge... Yes, that hadn't been very noble of them, but after all her doings, they had had to punish her. Especially, Nerissa.  
Gosh, upon meeting Nerissa and her wrecking character, Halinor's stepmother had shrunk and never again dared to mistreat her stepdaughter. The ex-guardian smiled, recalling so many other events.

The day was bright and sunny, and even though it was still winter, the snow which wrapped Heatherfield in its arras, barely ever did the same amount of damage to Hellenic Heights. Perhaps it was the landscape or something else, but even with that, Halinor still wished that it was spring or summer. Spring and summer in her old neighborhood had always been a chunk of paradise.

The poplars, the aroma of the staves, and the iconic laurel bushes on the streets turned the place into a fairytale reminiscent of old times. Better times.

Halinor knew, all she had to do was ask Kadma to make all that happen for her, to wake up the flowers in the garden and the leaves of the trees. The former Earth guardian could undoubtedly do that for her, but Halinor decided she could wait for spring to come on its own. Besides, it wasn't like she got to spend a big amount of time here, in Hellenic Heights. No matter how dear this place was to her heart, the mature blonde was happier with the current life she had. A life in Fadden Hills. Commuting to Zamballa...returning to Heathefield to meet her friends. Living to the fullest. Yes, after so many years, life was finally fine again.

Overflowing with inner gratitude and grace, Halinor had to remind herself why she was here today. She was here to do what she had always enjoyed doing most- she was here to offer help and reassurance, and there was nothing that made her happier than being able to that here, in her birth home...Nerissa's ideas never failed to hit the center of the target.

"Mrs. Clarkson?! Is that you?"

Halinor turned around in her flowy white costume. She had been looking at the landscape up until now, but now her eyes were on the woman that approached from the car that had just parked in the driveway.

Susan looked tired and miserable in her dark coat, but her surprise took precedence over her tormented state of mind. The older woman smiled at her and took her hands in hers, once they stood facing each other at a minimal distance.

"It's so nice to see you again, dear."

"Mrs. Clarkson?"- Dean, who came behind his wife muttered. "The Mrs. Clarkson? The woman who rescued you from that bullet..."

Susan could only nod, the tears struggling to flow from her eyes yet again because Halinor took the word:

"Hi, Susan, dear. Hello, Mr. Collins."- she greeted them warmly. "I know that you're going through trying times. I can understand that you have many questions, also. But most of all, I sincerely hope that by coming here today, a part of your burden will be lifted."

"I don't understand. We got a call from another woman."- Dean began. "Did you get to know about our situation from the news...They weren't supposed to report anything just yet- "

"The woman who called you is my friend. We know about your problems from word that has been spread around."- the former guardian said cautiously, looking into Susan's wet eyes. How else could she explain it to them? She couldn't just tell them the entire truth... "I don't want for this to come as a shock to you, Susan. When we walk inside that house, you may experience strong emotions. Rage. Hurt. Please, be strong. I want you to go through this just like you've gone through so much else."

Dean was baffled. To him, this entire situation hardly made any sense and he felt the urge to question it, but Susan's reaction was quite different. In spite of the openly flabbergasting, for any normal person statement, that Halinor had just made. Whether it was her emotional defeat or the Xanax speaking, Susan squeezed the older woman's hands tighter and cried:

"You must be my guardian-angel, Mrs. Clarkson."

Halinor chortled through her own tears that had formed in her eyes.

_It is a tad more complicated, Susan. But you could say that. I am indeed a guardian. You are a treasure of a woman, how could Thomas hurt you like that? How could he do it after I taught him differently..._

"I've been going through such dark times lately."- Susan sobbed. "I've started to lose pieces of my sanity, but now that I see you, I just feel this reassurance. This warmth. Somehow, I know that everything which you do will help me. Thank you, Mrs. Clarkson. Thank you so m-much."

The blonde felt her heart full of joy at that. She moved her glance from Dean, who was still a little astounded, back to Susan, who she adored by now. No worries, he would soon understand things better. So would Tony, hopefully...The ex-guardian knew that the hardest was yet to happen, but she still smiled at the other woman:

"Don't mention it, dear. I like you a lot. It's about time you started calling me Halinor."

* * *

Ending the effect of her sleeping potion made of purple poppies, Kadma put a new substance in a glass of water which she then used while proceeding to sage the sleeping man's face with the help of a spell. She had experience with taking hostages, by now. Kadma frowned. It was not a thing she would ever openly brag about.

Then, using her telekinesis, the Queen made Tony's body stand up from his seat and start moving, copying what would be a normal gait as much as it was possible while walking behind him. He would soon wake up. There were stairs which they had to be taken now, which was rather challenging. Taking them down, Kadma didn't try too hard not to have Tony float around like a marionette. This man had laid himself open to her rage, hence he would suffer the consequences.

"We don't understand, Halinor. Who is here to meet up with us? How is it going to help Susan's legal hardships- "

"Mr. Collins, what better way to ease one's legal hardships than present the real culprit in front of the court."

The professor stopped talking and looked up at the source of the voice. The voice of the woman, who had called them that morning. Ms. Starlighter. And the man walking in front of her...

"Tony!"- Susan spat in a state of shock. She couldn't believe her eyes. Dean was at a loss of words himself. They just stood at the entrance and stared.

Tony Vandom was just starting to get to his senses. He rubbed his head with one hand as Kadma silently loosened her telekinetic structure on him from behind. She then met Halinor's eyes, who nodded from behind the newly arrived couple. The hardest task laid ahead.

"What am I doing...How am I."- Tony was getting over his initial puzzlement upon waking up in an unknown place. He glared at the ex-guardians. "You! I don't know how you did this, but you will-"

A sharp slap on his right cheek brought him to reality. Tony gawked at the sight of the woman who stood within inches of him, despising him with every cell in her body. It was as if he was noticing his ex-wife's presence in the room for the first time since waking up completely. Kadma wasn't surprised; mental obscurity was a common side effect after being under the influence of purple poppies. Thomas was actually regaining his senses impressively fast.

"Susan..."- he whispered, still trying to wrap his mind around what had led him to this situation. "What are you doing in Fadden Hills, I thought- "

But Susan just slapped him again. And then again. And again, and again, she had lost her control to the point where Dean saw himself obliged to hold and pull her back from the other man.

"Fadden Hills? What are you, except a murderer, a drug addict?"- the teacher spat. "We find ourselves in Heatherfield, where you'll stay and be brought to justice if you even consider yourself a man."

"Heatherfield?"- Tony exclaimed in disbelief. His eyes widened as he looked at his former councilor. She had done this. It was evident on her face. But how? "How did you drag me here, you crone? How did you know?"- he raged. "You ruined everything!"

"Hey, Mr. Swindler, watch your tone!"- Kadma shouted, drawing his attention from behind. "If you dare say one bad word about her, I'll personally make you regret it, do I stand clear?!"

"Kadma, calm down!"- Halinor made her a sign to remain quiet.

The Queen of Zamballa, who had left the last step and stood threateningly close to the redhaired man, suppressed her fit of anger but did not move her rigorous, sterling eyes from him.

Halinor, on the other hand, looked carefully around herself, estimating the situations and conditions before making her next utterance. Dean and his wife, who was still finding it hard to calm down, were already baffled enough as it was.

"You bastard!"- Susan screamed in her ex-husband's face. "How can you just stand there? How can you just stand there after all you did, after you faked your death and put me and our daughter through living hell! Why?! You are a disgrace! A disgrace to the male and humankind!"

"Susan, I understand why you're mad with me, but believe me, I've been trying to fix things!"- Tony insisted, but Susan didn't want to hear about it. She got free of Dean's arms and pushed the other man in the chest. She pushed him repeatedly until he reconciled and stop stepping back, enduring her hits with a lowered head.

"Will lost her firstborn child before she even met it, because of you!"- the mother of two wailed. "You kept embittering our life, even after we left Fadden! Why, why were my defeats never enough for you?! Even after I moved on, here in this city, you came after us! It was your goal to keep hurting us, wasn't it?! Why?! What do you want?! What have I done to deserve this, answer me!"

Tony shook his head:

"It was never my intention to hurt you and Will...I know I've done it, in spite of that. But I'm sorry. I really am- "

"Sorry?! You're not sorry! You know what I'm sorry about?!"- Susan screamed, slamming her fists in his chest yet again. "I'm sorry that I ever accepted you in my life, that I trusted you! Will was the one and only good thing which you ever did for me, and I won't watch you hurt her, understood?! I won't have you hurt my daughter again!"- the woman was shaking by now, but she wasn't over. Her hysterical screams echoed in the old house again: "To think that I cried! I cried for you at that funeral, but you were never there! You were never dead, you made me forgive you and think of you without resentment, but it was all a farce. You're not a memory, _you are you_! And I HATE YOU, TONY! I hate you!"

"Susan, you have to calm down."- Dean stood between them, trying to stop his wife, but for some reason, that seemed to annoy Tony. He endured her shots because he knew he deserved them. But he couldn't stand that man playing the perfect husband at that moment.

"Stay out of this, Collins, you're not a part of our problems."- he pushed the teacher back. "Know your darn place!"

"I am a part of your problems because Susan's problems are my problems too."- Dean retorted in a low voice before doing something which he'd usually never even consider. "The one who should be put in their place is you!"

And he slammed his fist in the other man's jaw, as the two began to fiercely push and fight each other.

"DEAN!"

But Susan's screams failed to stop the two men's hand-to-hand combat. The ego and principles of both of them intersected like the edges of two swords, their fists flying toward each other unceasingly. Unflinching, Kadma grabbed a hold of Tony's shoulders and pulled him back, enraged by his audacity. How dare he put up a fight after all his low deeds?!

"Hey, Swindler!"- she yelled warningly. "Acquit yourself, or I'll- "

"Don't touch me again, hag!"- Tony foamed his mouth and caught her arm in a harsh fashion, making her consider the possibility of using her powers against him...

"ENOUGH!"- Halinor's frantic shout finally managed to cease everyone. They all turned to her as she breathed heavily: "I did not organize this meeting for the sole purpose of fighting and yelling; we're here today because I want to help you. _All of you_. Please, try to help yourselves too, by talking to each other. Susan. Tony. I've got to know both of you in a certain way. I want both of you to exit this mess dignified. But for that, you have to be tolerant and patient with each other. You have to have fortitude."

* * *

_**"The Silver Dragon, "White Mountain"; 7:15 PM**_

"The prophecy of the Dark Descendant is impossible to interpret! At least not completely anyway. There are a thousand of additions to the fragment which we had. A thousand of different stanzas added by different people. Which ones are accurate? Which aren't? This is a nightmare, I tell you. A nightmare!"- Taranee finished her tirade and put her nose back in all the papers which she had taken from the late countess's home. Behind the raven lock, where Icona had been able to hide information that her daughter had failed to find and destroy.

Peter Cook and his almost-parturient girlfriend exchanged glances. It had been like that ever since they had come in the extension of the Silver Dragon in "White Mountain", one of Heatherfield's urban districts. A few years back, when the Chinese restaurant had first started to progress as strongly, the Lins had expanded it into another branch. In comparison to the original restaurant, which Yan Lin had founded with her late husband, the branch in White Mountain was quite spacious and modern.

Cassidy smiled at Peter and shook her head. Even though she was not invested in this current case, due to her advanced pregnancy at most, she remembered what it was like to be a guardian working hard to solve a mystic problem. It was a thrill which no one else could understand. No one but a guardian.

"Maybe the prophecy of the Dark Descendant is somewhat similar to the legend of the first male Meridian ruler."- Julian, who had just finished feeding his 5-month-old grandson, interjected. He was in the restaurant, sitting in the bar area with his friends.  
_**(Have a look at "Legends of Meridian I" for the scene that takes place between these two **__**)**_

* * *

Ten minutes later, Hay Lin and Eric got engaged in a conversation of the own, before walking away hand in hand. Martin exchanged a few words with Julian before going on his phone. Thankfully, the odd phase between them, after the ex-rebel had deceived the radio geek to alter a certain a song as to break Yan Lin's volitive chain **(Heart of a Mother chapters 5-8)**, had long passed, if it had ever been out there at all. Martin sure didn't consider it, even after coming to grounds with the truth. Julian had been the one to feel partial shame and guilt when facing the kind-hearted younger man. Thankfully, it was now all water under the bridge.

"What's this? You're already having fun without me"- Nerissa approached the group of people and leaned against the bar in her long dazzling gown. It was pink and covered in sparkles, matching the sparkles in her eyes. Pink and green. A fabulous combination that she had chosen for the night.

"Say hi to grandma, Killian."- Julian handed the baby to his wife and took her elegant coat away.

"Come to me, my sweet little prince."- Nerissa cooed and took her grandson with a broad smile. She loved how, despite his infant age, he seemed to recognize her already. His smile was the most precious thing ever, he looked so much like his father... Babies were unique creatures, she knew. And her grandson was the most unique.

Left in her strapless evening gown, she rocked the little boy in her arms happily for a few minutes, before returning it to his grandfather.

"Madam, dressed up to the nines, are we? What's the occasion."

Nerissa turned around in surprise. It was just now that she noticed Cassidy among Hay Lin and the two other guardian-boyfriends, who she had honored with a simple nod as a greeting. She was sitting there with her own boyfriend:

"Cassidy! How fabulous, I was just thinking of you today."- Nerissa walked to her and took her hands in hers with a smile. "Hi, Peter. Are you here for the Policemen Ball?"

"Hey, Riss."- the dark man saluted her. "Yeah, we got invited after the White-Silver Dragon accepted to host it in the last minute. It should be pretty rad!"

"Yes, it should be."- the ex-guardian agreed, fixing a few of her long beachy waves with her fingers.

"So, you're here."- Cassidy went on. "You didn't tell me, why the dress, the jewels...I know you usually take pride in your appearance, but- "

But before Nerissa could answer, Yan Lin came out of the kitchen once again and interjected:

"She's signing tonight! I already told ya, Cassidy. We're promoting her like hot cakes; she needs to get her musical career in check!"

"I know, Yanny, I was just teasing her."- the former Water guardian chuckled at the dirty look which Nerissa gave the other woman. "Rissy, I believe in you. You'll make this night unforgettable. Unforgettable!"

* * *

"An unforgettable experience! That's what I promise you! We, the Hales, take every public event we organize to perfection. That being said, I'm glad that I had the opportunity to organize this year's annual Policemen Ball, to honor our peace officers, even if earlier than usual. Heatherfield has unlimited love and support for you, gentlemen! Please, follow me!"

Vera Hale finished her _fifth_ unofficial speech this evening, before the actual evening had even begun, and held her granddaughter under the arm, heading for the building of the White-Silver Dragon. Perhaps she had overestimated herself a bit; these heels were killing her, but they were by Chanel. Her elegant dark gown was Versace and her hair, scent, and makeup were flawless thanks to Givenchy. Being a socialite, she had to be at her best when being honored with the opportunity to shine in front of the entire city, like tonight. That was why she swallowed the discomfort of the heels and kept walking. The restaurant was already near, a stone throw's away from them. Thankfully...The limo had left them far too far, oblivious to the directions of the streets in White Mountain. Vera scoffed. She knew this neighborhood was a big deal over the last few years, but in her crystal blue eyes, it was still nothing spectacular.

Next to her grandmother walked Cornelia, in an expensive outfit of her own choice; her Prada bag in her left hand, her grandmother's arm around her right wrist, and Irma, walking confidently on her left side. Needless to say, the Earth guardian was already peeved. She was used to social functions, but she was certainly not in the mood for one at this particular moment, and the army of policemen and socialites walking behind her back wasn't helping. How had she gotten herself into this? She stole a glare of Irma, who appeared outrageously calm. Her composure fueled the blonde's vexation:

\- _Happy now, Ms. obsessed-with-Alexis, bomb-throwing, slave-driver?_ \- she snapped at her by telepathy. - _You convinced my grandmother to change the location of the stupid ball, now what? When Alexis comes, what do you think of doing with all these people around? How are we going to extract any use of this whole entire shenanigan?_

-_ Being impatient fucks up one's menstruation cycle, Mrs. Monster_. - the water-witch didn't remain obliged as they walked. Even though she usually liked to dress more casually and not necessarily in branded clothes, Irma had pulled out a long expensive gown for the occasion. She had had no other option after being ordered to come "decently decked, and not like a miller's daughter" by Vera. With her long hair up in a messy, but dignifying bun, Irma smirked at Cornelia's frowning face: - _Sorry. Ms. Monster. Mrs. Monster is walking on your other side and I'm expecting to hear her grumble again any minute now! For the love of rock music, I've never had anyone as resistant as her when my mind powers are in question! It took me an hour to persuade her to change the stupid location from that posh place she wanted to rebook. You'll see, Corny. When that prick Alexis arrives, you'll see my shenanigan in action._

"Cornelia, would you at least please _try_ to appear happy?"- Vera's line wasn't delayed. "You're a Hale! You can't attend social events with such a horrific grimace! Especially not when we're organizers."

"I am happy to attend!"- Cornelia lied and eyed the other guardian crossly. They were about to enter the restaurant. Vera turned around and solemnly waved at the coming crowd. "It's Irma's clowning that gets on my nerves, that's all."

"Irma is a- "- Vera looked at the young woman from head to toe. She had to admit she had listened to her and it had turned out perfectly. The Latina looked like an elegant lady, for a change. "- a very finely dressed young lady. Fool of tomfoolery, but still, gracious. And most importantly, a policeman's daughter! And this ball is, after all, for our policemen."

"Yeah, for her dad and his colleagues, not for her."- Cornelia reminded bitterly, eager to rub her friend's nose in it." She didn't help with the planning, nor did she do anything useful for this ball. I think that Irma deserves to be scolded and punished."

Irma glared daggers at her and her stupid thoughts. Cornelia was Cornelia, she didn't miss a chance to rebuke her or have someone rebuke her!

"That is true-"- Vera agreed.

"Whaat? What are you talking about, grandma Hale, you know that you love me!

"- and because of that, Cornelia, you will go with her now and make last checkups with the staff in the kitchen. Yan Lin said that it's not necessary, but I know her and her full of rats restaurants! Even if this one here is seemingly new and polished, I want everything to be perfect. So, go! I want it done before the guests of honor arrive."

Cornelia's evil smile quenched:

"Soo not what I had in mind, but fine."

* * *

Jessie Alexis looked around himself one last time before stepping out of his car and continuing towards the restaurant. It was dark and chilly, but he could still think. Think rationally. The name "Silver Dragon" did ring a bell in his head. This place, just like the one downtown, was owned by the Lins. One of the families connected to the Vandoms. Jessie scoffed. There was something indeed suspicious going on around, with the entire way things had changed in the last moment. From the date to the location of the ball, all up to the fact that the woman who was organizing it this year was actually Hale. Another family close to Susan and Tony. Jessie rubbed his beard, but had no other choice; eventually, he had to walk in. He couldn't miss an event while being the guest of honor...

"Jessie? What's the matter with you? Just enter already."- Serena ushered him. "We don't have whole night."

Her half-brother took a deep breath that helped him stop himself from turning around and slapping the blonde wig from her empty head. Serena was incredibly, incredibly careless and foolish. What had she even been thinking when starting this journey of lies, revenge, and sin?

"Don't talk before thinking."- he hissed through gritted teeth. "Or better yet, don't talk at all. How did you not know that Vera Fields is in fact, Vera Hale? Tell me that, Sera!"

"Excuse me, first off, the one time I ever met that woman was when I did a photo session of her in one of her real estates, a few years ago. She was incredibly entitled and unbearable and made sure I know that her name is Vera _Hale._ I've never even heard her surname before marriage, neither do I understand why would she put it in her invites and messages."

Alexis nodded to himself, not even bothering with his sister's words anymore. She couldn't understand the magnitude of things. That was her biggest flaw- she had big expectations, but thought small.

"I don't like how close-knit everything in this city is. Close-knit around the Vandoms! Everyone seems to be connected to them. All these people... All these obstacles. And God damn, what city, Heatherfield is a town! A population of a few hundred thousand- "

"1.100M and growing."- Serena interrupted him and just furrowed her brows." Now, can you please stop worrying about Heatherfield and its residents and attend the freaking Policemen Ball? An event you made me come to with you?! I did not practice faking this stupid French accent for nothing!"

Jessie gave up and offered her his hand reluctantly. They had to make their entrance. Whether Serena refused to see it or just didn't, due to her folly, he was entering this restaurant with reserved feelings. The scent of vengeance was in the air. Jessie Alexis knew that something overturning would happen tonight. What he didn't know was that the very thing turning would be his body- _bloody and lifeless on the asphalt_...

* * *

Anna Lair took one last look at her reflection before leaving her automobile and heading for the big contemporary house, in the driveway of which she had parked. This was going to be her first year ever attending the Policemen Ball without her husband. After Tom had been forcedly transferred for months to come, she hadn't even thought of going to the ball, which was being held way earlier as to honor the vice-inspector. And why would she?! After all, amid all the other wrong things that man was doing in their city, her husband had been transferred for the sake of his career development. And how had Jessie Alexis chosen to develop in his career? By doing the upmost horrendous and despicable thing- crucifying two defenseless women for a crime they obviously had nothing to do with. Everyone knew. Even outsiders knew that Susan and Will Vandom were innocent. A murder? The two of them? Never.

That being said, at first, Anna had been quite skeptical when her daughter had called her with a specific request, which had sounded more like a demand out of Irma's mouth. After all, the last thing which Anna Lair felt like doing was honoring that shady man, who was substituting her husband in the police.

_"Why in Jenny from the Block's fricking name, would I want to come, Irma?"_\- she had said._ "I don't care that Cornelia's grandma will be the hostess this year. She's doing it for her name. And what about my name? I'm Anna Bannister-Lair, I do not stand behind the man because of whom your father will spend months away from me!"_

_"Oh, my God, mom, you swear worse than Knickerbocker."_\- Irma had whined in response. _"I'm also mad at him because of dad, but I have other reasons; damn, three months is not even that much time...Do you guys still have it going on with such passion that you- "_

_"Irma, you're talking to your mother!"_

_"Alright, calm down! And think about it; I have my reasons to ask you to do what I'm asking you to do. We all know that Will and Susan are innocent. Everyone knows, you say. But how many people have been doubting their innocence because of Alexis, over the last days? He made it his mission to blacken their name. My mission is to expose him for that and I will. Think like Wife-Undercover and fulfill my request tonight."_

In the end, Irma's words had persuaded her into action. Dressed in an elegant black dress and a big fur boa, Anna-Wife Undercover, was ready to take Susan Vandom to the ball which her daughter had promised to serve as Susan's public anti-slander campaign.

Anna hadn't intended for what happened next to happen. She had planned to ring the doorbell of the house, but someone was opening the door at that same moment. Then her heel got stuck between the pebbles, and she had to kneel down to free her leg. That was when Dean and Susan's voices sounded in the cold night:

"Dean, I didn't ask you to leave! Come back here!"

"I heard you full well, Susan. I wanted to be here because I don't trust him. But if you do, if you trust him enough to stay alone with him, I'll just go get Will."

"It's too early to bring Will in here, we have many things to talk about before that, why don't you get that in your head, Collins."

That third male voice, albeit hushed, stunned Anna, who had become an unmeant witness of what was happening. Then she saw him, a part of him, just before Susan pushed him back inside. That red hair was unmistakable, the man inside was none other than...

"Get your sorry ass back inside unless you want to be jailed before that, Vandom."- Dean looked daggers at the man, who was no longer in view. "I'm getting Will. If a strand from Susan's hair falls while I'm gone, you're not going to live to your trial- "

Their eyes met and Susan gasped. Her expression was just as bedazzled as the other woman's, once she saw her kneeling on the driveway behind her husband. Surely, Anna Lair was the last person Susan had expected to see in her dark yard, at such a late hour, but what had happened had happened, and nothing could change that...

"A-Anna?"- Susan exclaimed in a tiny voice. Dean turned around in shock. The third person in their house hid even further inside, pushing something that ended on the floor, but in vain. She had already seen him. "It's...it's not what it looks like."

* * *

Irma slammed her phone in annoyance. This was her fourth failed attempt to reach her mother. What the hell was going on? How could she be running late right now? Her entire plan was going to fall behind schedule because of this!

"Sugar Beetle, I think it's time."- Irma jumped in her place, in the storage room, startled. It was just Martin. "Nerissa stopped signing and Vera stopped talking. As long as that took, Jessie Alexis is getting ready for his speech."

"Oh, no, crap... Susan and my mother are not here yet. Can't you do something to delay it?"- the water-witch bit her lip as her boyfriend shook his head:

"You have to act now; he seems like he is in a rush. And with that loud voice, I doubt that he'll wait for me to fix the sounding system, even if something was to suddenly happen with it... I don't think that he's planning to stay at the ball much longer. Hey, speaking of acting; what are you going to do to expose him?"

Irma took a deep breath, bracing herself for what was to come:

"You'll see, baby. Everyone will see."

With these words and a firm step, Irma headed for the main part of the restaurant. The big, yet crowded saloon didn't hinder her from spotting him. On the longest table. The main seat. His presuming face.

_I'll teach you a lesson tonight, buddy_, Irma thought angrily. _I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget!_

She walked by the bar, from where Cornelia tried to reach her, but couldn't because Vera pulled her back:

"Cornelia, come, you must help me record more videos! That young lad, Hay Lin's boyfriend, promised to have what you call stories of tonight's event on the web page of the restaurant."

"Vera, I think that it would be even better if we took a selfie against the background of the policemen enjoying the event."- Nerissa interfered smoothly.

"A _self-ie_? A picture of us?"

"Well, yes. You're the host, I'm the entertainer, surely people would like to see us rather than mere videos of these people raising their glasses back there."

Eric snickered at Hay Lin who just shook her head amusedly. Nerissa was one bedazzling piece of work.

"Besides."- she added. "You have enough recordings of them already."

"Very well."- Vera decided. "Cornelia, come and make a selfie of us!"

"Nerissa can take a selfie, she's been practicing."- the blonde snapped and handed her phone. She could see Irma had already taken her place opposite of Alexis, kindly provided for her by Rosetta who had stood up to make place. "I have to- "

"Cornelia, Cornelia! Don't be like your mother and come here, you must also be present in the photo! You're a Hale!"- her grandmother demanded and pulled her back once more, forcing her to be a part of the session of pictures, which the raven-haired woman proceeded to take. Meanwhile, Irma wasn't wasting time. She seated herself and for a second, her eyes met with those of the inspector. His gaze was cold but tense...Hers was just decisive and hiding the building desire for revenge.

Ignoring that, Jessie stood up, ready to give his speech. His speech was needed tonight, when he was being honored by the community of this city, he was resenting more and more with each day:

"Dear colleagues, it's a pleasure and honor for me to be here tonight with all of you."- he started, once the restaurant had calmed down enough. "It brings me great satisfaction that over the short period of time we've been working together, we've been able to achieve so much and build a new, successful team from scratch. It wasn't easy, but I do believe that with time, and with hard work on all parties, we will be able to bring Heatherfield to the level of so many other cities across the country-"

"Listen to this clown, talking as if we're living in some crime-filled, anarchical, godforsaken place."- Peter mumbled from the bar. "The levels of crimes here have always been much lower compared to these other cities he speaks of."

"He's just blowing his own horn."- Martin agreed. Truth be told, so many people present at this event disliked the vice inspector for many reasons, and they weren't wrong too. After all his intruding demands and actions. But, on the other hand, he had a growing number of supporters as well. What Martin wanted to see play out now was his girlfriend's idea of bringing justice:

"- I know that trying times are always around the corner, but as your new inspector, I'm here for you. Ready for challenges. Every single time- I adore a challenge."

"_Vice-inspector_."- Yan Lin turned to her son, who was watching the speech from the kitchen behind her. His face was sealed in a stony grimace and his fist was tightening. "Vice inspector. Presuming cretin!"

"Chen, please."- Joan ushered. "Let us check on the final course. The waiters should be ready to serve after that man wraps up his haughty speech. Forget him. Come with me."

The former Air guardian closed the doors, leaving her son and daughter-in-law in the spacious kitchen. She knew that Jessie's actions over the last weeks had upset so many of the residents of Heatherfield, her son included. Chen had been quite dissatisfied with the idea of holding the Policemen Ball in one of their restaurants after the vice inspector had fined them over pretty much nothing back at the original dragon. Nevertheless, he had eventually agreed after she had insisted.

What he didn't, and wouldn't know, was that his mother had only insisted on means to help Irma in her plan to prove the Vandoms' innocence. Chen also couldn't understand it, but the ex-guardian sure did know that all the petty things Jessie Alexis had been doing to all of them over the last weeks, were all based on some mysterious hatred which he seemed to carry for Will and all her close ones. Them included.

The old woman kept listening and observing the scene in the main saloon with the composure of a sensei. If her experience had taught her something, it was to never over or underestimate things before they got unveiled. The truth was resurfacing, she knew. Soon, Jessie Alexis's truth would be said out loud for everyone to hear.

"Where was I...I..."- Jessie seemed to choke on his words. The other guests that were listening to him talk were starting to cock eyebrows, but he couldn't help it. It was as if...as if suddenly the words he was trying to find weren't there. All he could hear in his mind was a sharp inner voice that was urging him to speak in a direction, entirely opposite to what he had wanted to add:

_"The truth. I want to tell you the truth about the Vandoms and myself. The truth behind all my actions."_

He locked eyes with her and almost gasped. Tom Lair's daughter's eyes were so scalding...so enthralling. He couldn't help it. To his own shock, and everyone else's dismay, Jessie heard himself uttering:

"...I wanted to tell you ta certain...truth. The truth about the Vandoms."

There was a grave silence, followed by a whisper that seemed to be flowing from mouth to mouth as guests looked at each other.

Cornelia and Hay Lin did the same, they looked at each other with open mouths. Martin grinned. She had done it. Irma had actually done it. But just as he was thinking that feeling the restaurant become on pins and needles, the lady with the blonde bob shot herself up, putting a hand around the officer's wrist.

"The truth is that nothing will stop Jessie from bringing them to justice. We know that you're all quite invested in that case. That is why we wanted to clarify tonight."- she said in her prissy French accent.

She smiled widely, making Irma frown and lose her concentration for a minute.

"Yes, yes."- the man managed to say quickly. "I don't know why I...I said that at all when you're all quite familiar with me and my vow to society."

_Why did you have to interfere you, bitch?_ Irma thought angrily, shifting her gaze to the glass in front of the other woman. _Sit your French ass down and stay out of this!_

Unwittingly, Serena found herself seated. She blinked a couple of times, shocked by what seemed to be an invisible force, making her fall back into her seat, while the Latina had already focused her eyes back on Jessie.

_"The Truth, say it! Say the truth! Say your entire truth!"_

This time it was much harder. Jessie was trying to resist her with all his willpower. Suddenly, Hay Lin, Cornelia and Taranee could all feel it, the sudden heavy headache in their heads. What was this?! What was...

"Cassidy, are you alright?"- Peter's voice sounded worried as Cassidy wrapped her hands around her temples too.

"I...I don't know."- she muttered, trying to massage the pain away. "It's as if I'm...I'm feeling all this tension in my head."

"So are we."- Cornelia announced grimly, gathering in a circle with the other guardians. Thankfully, her grandmother had stepped a few feet away already...

"I don't understand why are we feeling like that."- Hay Lin groaned, leaning on Eric for support. "It's like millions of sound waves are hitting my brain at the same time."

"It's because of Irma's power."- Yan Lin explained weakly. By now, she was relying on Nerissa entirely to move. The pressure was too hard on her. Nerissa was struggling herself, which was why she was grateful to have her husband take Killian from her. "We have to hold it all together, we can't fall apart before she succeeds."

"Irma's power? She's using it on Jessie as we speak, but..."

"Yes, she is."- Nerissa said through gritted teeth, fighting the pain in her head. "But she's doing it all wrong! She's using her mental control on an entirely deferent level; she's trying to enthrall his mind long enough for her inner voice to be able to beguile him into making a confession... But that by itself is extremely difficult to do without finding a weakness or some link in one's soul and mind shell... She's too reckless!"

"She has no other choice."- Yan Lin shook her head, not able to open her eyes anymore. "She can handle this, she has the ability of mind control! Irma can lead this quest to success, we just have to endure the mental pressure which this over energy usage is sending to all of us, who have certain telepathic channels."

"She can handle this, but what about us!"- Cornelia moaned silently, feeling her knees shake. "I'm starting to lose balance here!"

Eric, who held both her and his girlfriend for support, looked at Martin in distress:

"There must be a way for us to help them- "

"They're basically like dogs during this moment, we can't help them. Dogs that hear certain infra-radio sounds feel a similar amount of pain when getting whistled at with one of these training whistles. That's what they're going through-"

"Oh, thanks a lot, what a lovely comparison!"

"- nevertheless, guys, I understand Irma's plan. Making that guy confess everything here is a golden opportunity."- Martin went on. "By making a complete confession in front of a room full of police officers, he'll never be able to touch Will and her mom again- "

"We have to suck it up, we get it."- Nerissa retorted coldly. "Will do...Just ...shut up. Your voices combined with the mental energy overpressure are unbearable- "

Julian was already on to silently pressing the numb points between their thumbs and index fingers. It wasn't doing much, but the moment she felt his firm pressure against her hand, Cornelia felt like she could breathe more easily. Now she knew who Caleb had inherited his incredibly talented hands from. His massage was everything.

"Must distract their bodies from it."- the veteran rebel gave brief instructions, ushering Eric to rub Hay Lin's shoulders and Martin to take care of Cornelia. "Numbing the body yields the mind and gets one over the severest of pains."

"Cassidy can't take severe pains, she's nine months pregnant!"- Peter protested. "She can't do this!"

"Yes, she can...Cassidy, you too have the power of mind control. You are the original guardian of water, Irma's powers are your powers."- Nerissa managed to say, slumping next to her friend. "Use your mind powers to_ repel_ the overpressure."

"Rissy, I..I don't know."- Cassidy cried silently.

"Cassidy, at least protect yourself from it! You are expecting!"

"But Irma has had much more time to train with her powers, she- "

"She hasn't done that all so much, trust me."- Taranee, who was holding up best out of everyone, due to her strongest telepathic powers, stuck her hand out. "I'll help you, Cassidy. You do have the everlasting gift of Kandrakar, even though you're not an active guardian anymore. We can yield to the open and use our combined energies to channel the overpressure created by Irma into fuel for her power!"

All her friends nodded. Cassidy nodded in response, knowing that her boyfriend's sister was right. They had to do this. They had to do this for everyone's sake.

_"The truth, you asshole. The truth. Confess the motherfucking truth, I order you!"_

In that night, Irma was decisive like the angry sea. She had the power and she knew it. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she felt an interjection. Someone had atoned the pressure which the officer's resistance was creating? Anyhow, she had her eyes on the prize. Jessie Alexis's loathed face- she could already feel him succumbing to some inner guilt and she was determined. She'd sink him. And when the sea's determined to sink a boat, that boat will sink, regardless of anything else.

Fighting his inner demons was in vain at that point. Lair had got the better of him. Never willing to admit defeat, Jessie Alexis was perturbed when he heard himself saying the very next words, after a ten-minute battle with his succumbing will...

"The truth...There's a truth which I've concealed. In the name of...in the name of someone important to me."

Everyone stared at Alexis as he spoke slowly, yet distinctly. Glances were exchanged. The guests were utterly flummoxed, what was going on around here? Taranee and Hay Lin exchanged tense glances in their turn, as Nerissa opened her eyes under a frown, waiting for the confession to come:

"...I purposely framed Susan Vandom and Wilhelmina Vandom for a crime they did not commit. What they did was different, unfortunately, the law is powerless in front of it, in spite of it being a horrendous crime. That's why I took the law into _my_ hands."

Yan Lin placed her heart on her chest, expecting the culmination. Something was telling her that it was going to be very, very ugly. Just like her granddaughter, she could hear the beats of her own heart. The air around the saloon foreshadowed a truth that would sound worse than death itself...

Jessie's plus one seemed to be just as terrified as him, Irma noticed, but ignored the woman's quiet attempts to shut the man up. Her eyes were on him. She demanded his honesty, in front of the police guild, just because she needed a reason to break this phony officer's nose afterward...

"I closed the police station early that first day. I denied the bail and kept them inside as long as I could. I knew they'd go out eventually, fabricating evidence against these two women would've been an easy job for someone like me. I'm, after all, a much better inspector than any of you have ever seen."- Jessie's shocking speech went on. "You wretched village folk living up in their own asses here, in these fucking fields you call a town."

Whispers of disapproval went off around the restaurant.

"Village folk? Who in Jesus's name does he think he is."- Vera mused indignantly next to Joan Lin. "And that man calls himself a police officer? He dares underestimate Heatherfield? Had it been 50 years ago..."

Cornelia saw herself obliged to shut her grandma up before the sophisticated lady's outrage exploded and took precedence over what they had all managed to provoke with lots of pain.

"Such an ethical crime like theirs deserved a proper answer. Susan and Will Vandom needed to be punished for me to be able to get the real culprit out, but I won't lie that I didn't enjoy their sufferings. They had to suffer for the amount of suffering they costed my sister with."

"His sister?!"- Taranee exclaimed. "Could it be..."

"Serena."- Hay Lin muttered quietly, shivering at the sight of Jessie's eyes that looked as if they'd pop out. "He's her brother... It makes sense now."

"- I didn't have fake evidence fabricated to throw the mother and daughter in jail, because that wasn't what they deserved. They deserved what they got from me- humiliation for humiliation."- Alexis went on in his trance-like state, which didn't fail to exude his spite and hatred. "Hurt for hurt. They were just bait, bait to get to the man who ruined my sister's life, and left her hurting. They all did. The Vandoms are wretched people...And the miscarriage. The miscarriage which Wilhelmina happened to suffer in jail, was the perfect garniture- she doesn't even know that I poisoned her food and had her lose her baby, before even getting to know of its existence. Just like my sister lost her baby because of Tony Vandom!"

"You did WHAT?"

Irma had stood up even before the mass shock and indignation erupted in full force. She had lost her concentration and hence Jessie was back to his senses, looking around himself in shock over what he had just confessed, but it didn't matter anymore. The deed was done. He met her eyes- those angry blue eyes that could kill. These killing eyes had made him spill it all...

"Is this the Policemen Ball or the senior center ball? Get that godawful man and throw him in jail where he belongs!"- Yan Lin's voice rose above the others.

"Death penalty! Death penalty for the baby murderer!"- Vera roared and Jessie knew that he was screwed.

He ran for dear life, through the doors of the restaurant. Even before the police rushed after him, Irma was already flying forward. Cornelia was right on her heels. Her head spinning from the heard, Taranee was just about to follow them, when she heard another terrifying scream behind herself:

"CASSIDY!"

Vera, Nerissa, Julian, the Lins, Eric and Martin had already gathered around her brother and his girlfriend. But what was she...

"Oh, my God, what's wrong?!"

"Cassidy, breath, baby."- Peter tried to remain calm but failed. He lifted her in his arms.

"P-peter."- she managed to wheeze out. "I think...I think that something- "

"No, Cassidy, you will be alright! Her waters just broke."- Nerissa announced to the shocked Taranee. "We must take her to the hospital. _Now_!"

* * *

Jessie had somehow managed to escape his colleagues. An hour had passed, but he was still running. He was running through bushes and behind trees, hiding in the White Mountain forest like a rabbit during a hunt, not even having time to congratulate himself on outwitting the Heatherfield police, who had all missed him. They were fools, he knew. But he? How could've he confess so much of his agenda in front of everyone?!

The answer to that questions was clearly hidden in the names of the two women who had just spotted him in the dark:

"ALEXIS, YOU ARE DEAD!"

Hale and Lair were there, standing between the trees a few feet away from him. _Of course_, the man thought and shook his head angrily. There was something odd about these girls from the beginning, but now he was convinced. If they thought that he'd get scared away that easily, they were more stupid than courageous:

"I don't think so, you foul bitches. Coming after me wasn't your smartest decision."- he barked and took out the gun from his belt: "I don't know what you've put in my drinks, but you'll pay for that circus back in the restaurant."

"You killed Will's baby! You monster!"- Irma roared in response, not intimidated by the weapon one bit. "You're going to die tonight! You will die!"

Jessie blinked at her. There was it again, that total lack of fear and respect. What backed these girls? Why were they so sure in themselves? Were they all that insane that they didn't even flinch at the sight of a man holding a gun aimed at them in the dark night forest?!

"You're so over, you heartless fucker!"- Cornelia poured her cold venomous hatred on him, breaking the cev of his gun with her gaze and the power of telekinesis, unbeknownst to him. "Will and Susan had nothing to do with the way your miserable sister's pathetic life played out, you had no right to do them like that! I loathe you more than I can describe! I'll make sure you get what you deserve! Not a single more minute of daylight-"

"SHUT UP!"- Jessie yelled and pulled the trigger. He then stared at it in shock. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

"NO, YOU SHUT UP!"- Irma screamed in response. "What did you think? That you'll get away with all that you've done?! This is the end!"- her words echoed into the night.

"Are you out of your mind?!"- the man was now beside himself." You don't look scared at all?! How are you not scared that I'll break both of your necks with one hand!"- Alexis yelled and rushed towards them. He couldn't take their arrogance any longer. These young women needed a wake-up call and needed to get out his way, immediately.

But as Cornelia was getting ready to push him off with a cold look on her face, Irma raised her hand.

"Irma!"

Jessie felt like his blood was circulating backward! He looked around himself, bedazzled and struck by this insane sensation that haled his movements. And then, suddenly, to his biggest shock, his feet left the ground, leaving him to float a meter above in the air... No, this was impossible! All the liquids in his body: They were all under Irma Lair's control.

"H-how..."- was all he managed to say.

"Now do you see why we're not scared by a monster like you?!"- Irma hissed at him. "We're not afraid of monsters, because we're _witches_, Mr. Alexis. And you just confessed to killing one of our sisters' baby. Do you know what we'll do to you?"

Cornelia silenced her gasp with her palm as her friend sent the man flying up in the crown of the leafless tree behind. Gravity immediately pulled Jesse's heavy body back down. Breaking several branches and rolling around his own shaft twice, he landed back on the cold ground.

"Irma, what are you doing?!"- Cornelia grabbed a hold of the Latina and shook her up. "You can't become a murderess because of him! Because of that piece of shit! You're a guardian!"

"He killed Will's unborn baby!"- Irma screamed, but her anger was melting into emotional defeat and heartbreak. She let herself fall in the taller woman's arms, and started crying out loud. "He killed our friend's baby, Corny, and we couldn't s-stop him. What is being a guardian for if you can't protect your own friends?!"

"Irma, trust me. I want to punish that man just as much as you, but causing his death is not the best option."- Cornelia insisted, wiping her own eyes. "Not for a guardian, at least. I know, what he has done is unforgivable, but trust me, there is a special place waiting for him in hell. And when we throw him in jail, he'll receive the special handling which he deserves."- she added darkly. "You know the law system better than me. Remember, those who hurt children get what they deserve from the other prisoners. They never stop paying for their crimes! That's what Jessie Alexis deserves!"

Using the moment of their distraction, the fallen felon sped away. When Cornelia saw him in the distance, he was already behind a group of trees:

"HEY! GET BACK HERE, YOU COWARD!"

"YOU WON'T ESCAPE US!"

However, untransformed, the two women found it exceptionally hard to keep up with Alexis, running through the dark and the difficult forest terrains. Irma threw her shoes off in order to be faster, but her feet suffered severely as she ran. Cursing the pain and focusing on getting justice for Will, she kept up with Cornelia, who was also barefoot- even if she had chosen to carry her shoes in her hands. Being the guardian of Earth, her element seemed to take mercy on her, because she didn't feel as much pain and discomfort while running and green listening at the same time.

But the winter had most of the plants in a deep sleep. She couldn't command the forest to stop the felon while in her human form, and her sources were limited. Her powers were also running low. Cornelia and Irma were slowly losing Jessie and that wasn't good. It wasn't good at all.

Infuriated, Irma screamed his name again and again as she ran until there was no more air left in her lungs. Her anger resulted in the heavy, cold rain that followed. Practically _praying_ to the falling water to do something to keep Jessie down, the Latina grabbed the other woman's hand in order to be able to keep up.

Cornelia was more athletic and her long legs usually helped her run, but even she was beginning to feel the terrible fatigue and lack of oxygen by now. A few more meters and they stopped. They had to stop, otherwise, they'd just both pass out. They had been running for what seemed like ages...

"This isn't working. We're losing our chances."- Cornelia said after she managed to catch her breath. It was a challenge that Irma was still struggling with. She was sitting on the ground, breathing like a dog. "Might as well stop the terrible rain, Irma..."

"I can't."- the other woman finally snapped as she reluctantly accepted the hand. She stood up and slightly glared at her friend, who was holding the ends of her ruined dress with one hand and her heels in the other. Cornelia was at fault for what was happening. Had she left her to deal with the jackass, he wouldn't have escaped now. But before she could say anything, they both heard it; it was a quite distant sound, but it was prominent- the terrifying sound of car tires scraping the ground. A car that couldn't stop, hitting brakes in vain, and then a collision. Collision and silence. The two women looked at each other.

"What was that?!"

"It came from over there. There must be a road at this end of the forest."- Cornelia pointed in the left, somewhere in the distance, behind another group of tall trees. "I think we've reached the left side road going through White Mountain forest."

Cornelia had been right. Another ten minutes through the dark and they were standing in front of a shallow ravine. Behind it, through the trees, they could see a road, palely illuminated by the moon.

By the time they finally managed to get on it, Irma was already putting the idea under doubt. If they wanted to get out of the darn forest, they could as well just teletransport. They were after a criminal who had killed their friends' first unborn, not going around, tracking road accidents. But as she set foot on the asphalt, all her thoughts left her head. Apparently, the accident had tracked their criminal for them...

"Oh, my God"- Cornelia almost screamed. Irma wrapped her hand around her wrist, instinctively:

"No. Don't go there. You'll leave prints."

"I wasn't even planning to do so! Is that...is that blood?! Alexis, he was..."

"Run by a vehicle? Yes. He deserves it. And he's dead."- Irma announced, but even though she hated the felon, her voice cracked. The site in front of them was more than appalling...

"How do you know- "

"Because I think that those are some of his vital organs over there."

The flashlight on Cornelia's phone confirmed it. The bright light made the entire scene even more nauseating and explicit, and Cornelia hurried to look away before actually making out something particular that would haunt her dreams. Jessie was dead. No doubt. The red she had seen was enough of a proof.

"Ew, I can't look!"

"He's not simply pushed by a car; he has been _run over_. Hey, don't freight trucks drive down this road? The Detergent factory is nearby."

"I think so. He...he has tripped over."- Cornelia mumbled, stealing a look of the bloody mess on the road. She instantly regretted it. "He obviously fell on the road while running out of the forest, just before the truck passed..."

"Unlucky bastard, huh."- Irma shook her head. She had had enough. "They probably saw him, but it was too late. They couldn't stop and just sped away after the milk was spilled. Pardon, _the blood_. Can you imagine? That poor driver had to go through this, because of this baby killer. He'll probably end up blaming himself for running him over."

Cornelia shook her head. She was terrified, tired, and wet. She couldn't spend another minute in the presence of the squashed inspector.

"What do we do now?"- she asked quietly.

"Nothing."- Irma replied grimly. "An accident led to that monster's death, but at least everyone got to see his real face beforehand. Corny, thank you for stopping me from killing him myself. The Oracle is right. Sometimes, it is better to just leave things in fate's hands."

* * *

_Looking forward to your comments on the latest chapter! :)_


	31. Sparks of Intrigue

_**Chapter 31: Sparks of Intrigue**_

_"What they had thought to be the end of this horrible string of events, would turn out to be just the beginning."_

* * *

_**Gray Woods Mines, Meridian**_

The door opened with a slam. At first that seemed to surprise the young woman, who set her book aside and cast a startled look at the entrance, ready to jump up from her seat any minute now. When she made out the person who had just entered, however, her expression relaxed into a whimsical, almost amused simper:

"Here at it again, are we, Queen Elyon?"- she sang, resting back in her seat with her book in hand. "What is it this time? Oh, let me guess. You've come to desperately search for the missing girl? I thought that we've already covered the facts. Neither of us has left this house ever since your staged wedding."

"Don't play daft with me, Leonida. We all know that you've had her kidnapped before that."- Elyon didn't waste time on being condescending. She glared right down at the enchantress, suppressing the desire to knock the book out of her hands. "But I'm not here to talk to you again. Where's you know who?"

Leonida's smile widened even more at that. She focused a glib gaze on the Queen and her sentry, who stood at the threshold like every time, and retorted in a mellifluent voice:

"Your brother is sleeping in our room. I'd like to ask where _my_ sweet little brother is, if you don't mind. He hasn't visited his sister in quite some time now? Does he not feel concerned with my pregnancy? I'd be very hurt to learn that is so- "

"Leonida."- Elyon interrupted her icily, making her cock her eyebrows in amusement. "Cut the crap, will you? I'm not here to play yet another set of petty little games of ignorance with you! I don't enjoy your disgusting and sweetish, _fake _demeanor. I'm not here for your _sparks of intrigue_! I'm here to speak to Phobos."

"Elyon, dear, albeit your harsh words, I guess I'll have to repeat that he is currently sleeping. Go to him, if you'd like to try. He's a deep sleeper."- the ex-princess crossed her legs and went to the next page of her book.

The Queen frowned down upon her and finally did what she had meant to. She grabbed the gooey novel from the other woman's hands and set it flying across the room.

Leonida looked up at her, baring her teeth, and for a moment seemed to forget about keeping up her mawkish façade. The straw-blonde wasn't here to play, she had already made that known. The enchantress looked at her deathly and expectantly, but her following lines had her taken aback:

"Sure, he's a deep sleeper. Each time I come here to question his actions, he's irresponsive. I am unable to tell whether he's doing this on purpose or you're just keeping him under the influence of something, because you've finally come to terms with the fact he's unbearable. I want you to talk him into seeing me today. It's urgent."

Leonida wrapped a strand of honey-blonde hair around her finger as she estimated the Queen with a look:

"Look, your Majesty, I know that we, as prisoners in your kingdom, are obliged to fulfill what you ask of us, but Phobos won't listen to me. He hates you so much, he puts himself to sleep with magic each time you come here. And if even you can't undo that magic, what is left for me?"

Elyon could hear the scarcely audible mockery in her words:

"Of course you can, Leonida. You'd never let anything be beyond your control. Not when it's in your interest to keep hold of the reins."

Leonida pursed her lips, but the other woman went on:

"That's why I have a suggestion for you. A suggestion I hope you'll appreciate. Make Phobos talk to me and, in the time being, I'll let _you_ talk to someone. Sentry! Send him in!"

The ex-princess watched the door of the rest house open once again with arms folded on her chest. But when she saw the young boy in Coronian royal garments walk in, her heart skipped a beat:

"Dua!"

Elyon stood in her way, before she could rush to the child that appeared quite distressed already.

"I thought that you'd enjoy a short while with your son. But for that to happen, you'll have to grant my wish. "- she spoke dryly as their eyes met. Leonida's indigo blue eyes shone like two headlights as she estimated her possibilities. Dua was looking at her, and deep down, behind all the fear which her mother had planted in his soul, he still looked at her with warmth. That warmth she couldn't stay indifferent to.

* * *

Ten minutes later, when Elyon walked in the dark bedroom, Phobos was just waking up. When he saw his sister, a hard frown of bewilderment and distaste took over his bare face:

"Elyon, what an _unpleasant_ surprise."- the prince snarled, pulling the covers up to his naked chest. "What do you want?"

Ignoring the fact that the man was most probably butt-naked under the sheets, Elyon sat herself on the end of the bed and gave him a hard look. No, Phobos was quite baffled to see her, that was for sure. He looked as he always did- diabolically charming and fair, minus the makeup which he lacked.

"A penny for your Majesty's shallow thoughts?"- the man repeated with boredom. "Perhaps you're here to add yet another inconvenience to my sentence? After taking Cedric away, maybe you've decided to take the roof from this dump likewise? You enjoy toying with me, don't you?"

"You have the audacity to complain about your imprisonment?"- Elyon smiled coldly. Over time, she had mastered that. Being cold and reserved when the occasion called for it. She could see that Phobos was still quite struck by this novelty in her. He could no longer use her bubbly persona and gullibility to his advantage. "Not every evil despot gets to be under home arrest while waiting for his future descendant to be born, you know."

"This is not my home."- Phobos replied darkly, adjusting into a more comfortable position.

"Do you even have a home, though?"- his sister went on. "If the home is where the heart is, and your heart is no longer beating, poisoned by your ruinous malice, what do you consider happiness, brother? Getting to power? Seizing Meridian again? Pity that will never happen!"

"Is that all you have to say?"- Phobos rolled his eyes. "I can't believe I had to be woken up for the sake of your petty attempts to get to me. Your words are as worthless as your presence, and if there's anyone beside the villagers happy to have you in their life, they must be quite deranged."- he added icily, looking at her with pure hatred. "You're a waste of time and space, dear sister. Even the guardians know that. Do whatever you're here to do, and leave! I cannot bear to look at you."

Once again, his words had gotten to her without her even realizing it. Elyon stood up, furious, deciding to let go of all the things she had originally decided to talk to her brother about. True, she had come to his lockdown house with an agenda, but she had had the good mind to try offer him something more. Thinking of it now, she couldn't explain to herself as to what had made her think that Phobos would ever listen or deserve any offers. Any advice.

"I'm asking you to give out Asa's location for the last time. Refuse again, and I'll allow Ari and the Arkhantians in Gray Woods. Woe to you then."

Phobos seemed to be thinking over her words for a few seconds.

"So."- he trailed. "The farmer remembers me and my visit to his so-called kingdom?"

"Not exactly."- Elyon snapped bitterly. "In time, however, he did connect 'Philip', who tried to turn Arkhanta against Meridian and Kandrakar, to us. I already said all that to you, if you didn't sleep all the time, maybe you would've remembered! It's been weeks, and Ari can't wait any longer. I won't have him declare war on us, because of you!"

Phobos nodded with a malicious smirk. At least that hadn't resurfaced. His goal to trick realms into becoming a part of his future empire. Yes, he could as well return the girl... Not that he wouldn't enjoy seeing Meridian suffering through war, but the consequences that would come for him, in that case, weren't favorable. But what if Asa had heard more than he thought, back at the Scarlet Citadel...

"I suppose I no longer have a choice, do I? If I were to refuse to send the little tatterdemalion back-"

"If you refuse, I will dry up the last drop of respect I have for the blood that connects us, and I will spill _your blood_ before you've had the chance to meet your son or daughter!"- Elyon's voice thundered. "I swear, Phobos!"

A frustrated little smile started dancing on his lips:

"Gosh, baby sister, would you do that? You spared me for over ten years, would you really dispose of your brother for the sake of some Arkhantian harlot? -"

"Do not presume to test my kindness, Phobos!"- the young Queen clicked her fingers twice, before shoving her index one in his face. "Just like that, kindness can kill! I will keep my word and just like I let you live all these years; I will break your neck in a second! I'm done waiting for you to show any moral! You've kidnapped Asa months ago. You have but seconds!"

"Fine, you can take her back. I no longer need her."- Phobos asserted coldly before standing up and walking to the closet in the bottom of the room, completely unabashed by the fact that he stood stark-naked in front of her. Elyon blinked in shock and offense as he did that, and looked away. Phobos just smiled smugly.

After taking a little object out of his closet, having gone through the few belongings which he had been allowed to have, he stood in front of her, just as proud. Holding the rag doll which he was handing her, offensively close to his manhood.

Reluctantly, Elyon looked down with disgust. Phobos had officially done all in his power to defile the brother-sister relationship between them, and it was evident that this attainment took him in seventh heaven.

"What is- "

"This is Asa, Elyon."- Phobos grinned. "She has been here all along. You and your guards never sensed her. You thought that this is just a rag doll that one of us keeps since childhood, didn't you? Let me tell you, your Majesty, Leonida and I hold on nothing from the joyless childhoods we have had! This plain little rag doll has been our personal life force source for months now. But, I admit, there's not much left in her. Take her back to her farm shed. She served me well and I guess that her service is over."

Horrified, Elyon took the doll in her hands and then looked back at the cruel man. Just the thought repulsed and mortified her in all possible ways. Such gruesome cruelty on his part, but it wasn't the first time. Why was he able to keep shocking her with the extent of inhumanity he was willing to reach, each and every time?! How were they even related...

"You are a sick bastard."- Elyon whispered hatefully, getting ready to leave.

She cursed herself for considering giving that man advice or approaching him with earnest intentions at all. He deserved to suffer. He was not a brother to her... "I get convinced in that, once again. You are sick! You will pay for _everything_. Pay dearly!"

Phobos kept grinning at her, never showing any emotion beside dark satisfaction and heartless triumph. Then he felt his sister's magic around himself and once he looked at his naked body, he was no longer smug or cool. Elyon's glamour spell had put him in tattered, dirty peasant clothes...

"You pathetic imp! How dare you- "

But before he could finish, she turned around and sent him flying back. Phobos hit his back in the wall, letting out a muffed exhalation of pain.

"When all this is over, I'll erase your name from our history, and I'll make sure that your child never gets to know what a godawful sicko his or her father was!"- she said bitterly before exiting. "I promise you that."

* * *

Outside the rest house, Leonida was smiling at the young boy. The royal sentry was giving them some privacy, reassured by the fact that she was cursed and restrained. Neither could she get too near to her son, nor could she get through the invisible border that surrounded her little jail house.

_No harm_, Leonida thought with a smile. _I don't need to do all that. Thank you, Elyon. Thank you, a thousand times, for this hitch of yours..._

"Lynar, Morwell! Take Dua back to the carriage. We're leaving."

The honey-blonde closed her palm in a hurry and turned around just when Elyon stopped behind her. The sentry proceeded to meeting her order as Leonida timidly tucked a hair behind her ear and secretly hid her newest acquisition in the pocket of her dress...

"So, how was your chat with Phobos, Elyon? Did you achieve what you hoped to achieve? Me and my son had some grand quality time, even if it was too short. Why don't you stay for some tea before-"

"Shut your mouth."- the Queen cut her off, once her guards had taken Dua to a safe distance. Now she could focus her resentment on the other woman. There was no need for that poor child to witness that, not after all he had been through, because of her.

"I take it that my King hasn't been nice to you."- Leonida shrugged. "No worries. You can go if you're too angry now. But feel free to drop by with Dua any time you- "

"Never."- Elyon interrupted her again and crossly held Asa's doll to her attention. Leonida didn't bulge nor retort. "Never again! Because this is what you monsters do to people. You are not able to communicate normally. not just with anyone. You cannot function. You and Phobos are just that- two ugly, self-sufficient spirits who only need themselves! People like you perish all alone and unwanted, and that's exactly the fate you'll have!"

Still trying to come to terms with her own anger, Elyon turned one last time before leaving Gray Woods. She met Leonida's gloating on the inside gaze. How she wished she could just turn both her and Phobos into stone and never think of them again!

"Oh, and don't look so smug."- the straw-blonde added sourly watching the ex-princess lift a brow. "I know that my figure doesn't exactly represent a challenge big enough for someone as vile as you to find trying. Next time we have matters to discuss with you, I'll just send the Mage."

* * *

**_Heatherfield, Heatherfield Memorial Hospital_**

Irma carefully approached the sleeping Fire guardian with a plastic cup of her favorite latte and a Subway sandwich. She had especially wanted to be the first one to bring breakfast to Taranee, after she had spent the entire night in the hospital. Of course, someone had already outsailed her. There was an untouched portion of pie and some tea on the end table next to Taranee's armchair.

The Latina set her items next to the pie and was just about to leave the private waiting room, when Taranee's voice caught up with her:

"Irma? What time is it?"- the dark-skinned woman rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"Almost 9 o'clock."- her friend replied, watching her wake up fully. Taranee glanced at her phone's screen and tried to get her messy ponytail into a more presentable appearance. She failed and abandoned it, focusing her attention back on Irma:

"Oh, shoot, I shouldn't be sleeping here, I have to find Peter! Is Cassidy still sleeping?"- she nodded at the door leading to next room. "I better get to- "

"Tara, Tara, chill. It's all under control. Cassidy is sleeping. So is your little nephew. The doctors are getting him ready to be here, with his mother."- Irma explained, holding Taranee's shoulder. "I just bumped into your dad, Peter and Caleb on my way here. They told me. Although he was born three weeks earlier, the little guy has no conditions and does not even need to stay in an incubator. The doctors delayed the good news, just because they needed to wait for the results of all the tests to confirm that everything is top notch. Chil."

"Thank goodness."- Taranee exhaled in relief, taking a moment to relax herself after a straining night of unhealthy action and stress. Thankfully, it was now all so much better.

"Yeah, don't worry. Eat something. I brought you a sandwich and your favorite coffee, but I see that someone has left you other stuff too. The more the merrier."

"Thank you, Irma."- the other guardian replied with a grateful smile, reaching for the latte. "I'm surprised you're up so early. After..."

"Huh, please."- Irma exclaimed, sitting herself on the other armchair in the waiting room. "I slept just fine. But I was also worried about Cass and you, so I had to come here and check the situation out. Besides, I...I wanted to apologize to you."

"Apologize? What for?"

Taranee blinked a few times, genuinely oblivious to what her friend felt a need to apologize for. Then, when she got it, she just started shaking her head:

"Irma, noo! Not that fight from the Blue Bijou...it was so bizarre and moronic, I thought we'll just leave it beginning."

"Yes, we never addressed it. I feel like I have to... And I was mean to you- "

"So was I. I was terribly rude and disrespectful, letting Hay Lin in on something which was supposed to be a very private matter. It was Icona's ghost turning us against each other as to feed on our negative emotions, but still. If we really have to address it, then I have to apologize too, Irma."

Taranee looked down in shame, but Irma didn't want to hear about it:

"No, you don't! I was at fault, Tara. And while Icona really used us and all that, I was already in a pretty belligerent mood when we arrived...I could've resisted her better if I had been at a better place. Mentally... But the entire situation with Will was driving me nuts, I- "

"Irma, believe me, I totally get you."- Taranee smiled amicably, placing her hands over those of her friend. "We've known each other how long? 12 years? Over 12 years? Ever since I moved here from Sesamo, you've been a great friend, Irma. What have we _not_ been through together? I would never let even the wildest of scandals come between us with a permanent damage."

"Aww, babe, a stone is falling from my heart hearing you voice what I've thought all along! I'm so lucky. Lucky to have friends like you and the girls!"

Taranee hugged her back. They had all been on the rocks lately. Now, they had to get themselves together and go through what was left of Will's ungodly trial, united. Yes, they indeed had to wrap up things with Tony Vandom's case as soon as possible, now that Will and Susan had been proven innocent. They had to get this matter over with, because, the Dark Descendant experience was hardly going to wait for them much longer. And if they were to, God forbid, miss their chances of solving that problem while it was still in its infancy, matters would only get worse. Worse to the point when a major disaster would be inevitable.

"Here you go, Emily. This is the private president hospital apartment which we figured would work best for Cassidy. I suppose she's still asleep, but they said they'll let us see her baby in an hour-"- Nerissa, who had just entered the place followed by Emily Chacon, stopped in her tracks, passing her green eyes over the two younger women. "- you may wait here."- she then went on. If you'd like anything to eat or drink, I'll-"

"Thank you, Nerissa."- the old lady cooed and came behind her. "I am just fine. Hello, girls. My am I glad to see you here, supporting my Cassidy."

"Hey, Mrs. Chacon."- the two guardians replied with smiles.

"You know what, I never thought that I'd live to see this day."- Emily revealed, leaning on her cane. "Seeing my little girl, I thought to have forever lost, have a child of her own...Now, someday soon, I can leave this world in peace and true happiness."

"Have a seat, Emily. I need to make sure you've taken your medicine."- Nerissa interjected from behind her, directing the old woman to one of the blue plush sofas. "You have to spend some years with your grandson. You can't be talking about dying."

"Yeah, Mrs. Chac. You're fine. Dying is out of the question."- Irma interfered.

"Yeah. Think positive to attract the positive. The power of the brain is unlimited!"- the other guardian assured her.

"I'm a 90-year-old. Death is in my lane more than ever!"- Emily laughed heartily, making Taranee and Irma look at each other with expressions of mixed amusement and speechlessness. "But it's OK. I've lived to see my dream for my little girl come true."

Nerissa poured a plastic cup full of water from the water machine in the room and handed it to her friend's mother, throwing a shady look at the two guardians in the same time.

"Take your pills and rest up, Emily. I'll be back."- she then said, leaving a blister on the coffee table. "Irma, Taranee. Meet me outside."

The two young women looked at each other once more, but did go after the tall brunette. Hardly having waited for them to be outside the private hospital apartment, Nerissa turned around and snapped:

"Might I know what are the two of you doing here, chit-chatting over your morning coffee like two sloth aunts, instead of taking care of matters that are urgent?"

The two guardians blinked in rags.

"Huh?"

"I was waiting to hear that Cassidy and her baby are alright."- Taranee started explaining. "I was here all night, what exactly do you suggest that we're supposed to be doing?"

"Thankfully, they are fine."- Nerissa retorted coldly. "Let's not forget that she was only at risk because of your mindless plan to expose the cop, which you did; thanks to our massive endurance, that is. Do you really think that just because he died, the case is closed? Need I remind you that we have a thousand of other problems to deal with, because of your poorly done job as guardians."- Nerissa put her hands on her hips and raised her chin up, haughtily. "Might as well finally terminate the Vandom case, unless you'd prefer to keep going with half of a leader, whose oppression takes the better of her each time-"

"Gosh, I hate how you think of yourself as some major pillar of confidence in every situation! - Irma rolled her eyes. "What do you think, _Prissy_, that we've left things to the flow? Hay Lin and Blunk have been after Serena's trail since 6 o'clock."

"We contacted Will's lawyer post Alexis's confession, my mother was overwhelmed by the situation with Cassidy, but she did say that the court will soon take all the new evidence in mind. All the charges pressed against the Vandoms will be lowered, why do you have to bring our qualifications up each time, putting our competence under question?"- Taranee added angrily. "It's petty and rude! Not to mention needless-"

"Cause she's the smartest. In her own world, _that is_."- Irma mocked the ex-guardian's way of talking. "Wake up, Nerissa, your days of being five steps ahead of us are long over! We were fucking teenagers and you were already a hag. We have experience of our own now, get out of our hair already!"

"Really? I hadn't noticed- "- Nerissa laughed coldly in response. Her green eyes glared daggers at the duo:

"That's because you're too busy being obsessed with yourself!"

"- I hadn't noticed that you've become so very competent and qualified. But then again, if you had, really, you wouldn't be as defensive and harsh. I don't believe you when you say that you've already taken the needed actions, and you know why? Because no matter what, that evidence against your precious Will's father is still there. There is still a corpse, right? He will still be facing the court, the charges against him won't be lowered. And as long as his little play goes on, your leader's sanity won't be joining us, _even _during the entr'acte!"

Taranee looked down at that, but Irma snapped back:

"Since when do you care about what's happening with us? I thought that you were self-sufficient and perfectly happy with your son and mans- "

"I've grown tired of you, fool."- Nerissa interrupted her coldly. "Being the guardian of water, you're supposed to channel your darn emotions and thoughts, not have them be a sea of storms the entire time, affecting all the other elements like the stormy sea affects the rest of the nature! This is not about you, it's about all the people who you need to help, being guardians! Being guardians, you cannot afford to disrupt the harmony all the time with your tantrums! Unfortunately, you are the present guardians. And as long as your generation holds the Heart of Kandrakar, I have to work with you."

Irma gritted her teeth. She hated getting patronized, especially by her. But before she could fire her very next feisty reply, Taranee wrapped her fingers around her wrist and shook her head.

\- _Don't Irma_, she said in her mind. - _She's partially right. We have really been allowing ourselves be too labile and vulnerable lately. Regardless of the situation, we are the guardians. We have to show more fortitude and endurance. _

"- and do you know what happens with a team once they lose their leader?"- Nerissa kept talking fervently, evidently ignited by the memories of her own experience." You've met with the living examples many times. A team deprived of the guardian leader never manages to hold together! Like a house without the base foundation, the four other walls always crumble and fall in ruins! Is that what you'd like to happen to W.I.T.C.H?"- Nerissa tightened her nude colored lips. "If the four guardians fail to understand the fifth, the fault is to be equally divided between them, believe me. There's nothing worse than failing the unifier, who has lifted you up from the dumps, so many times! What do you think, Irma? Just because we were lucky to have that man die, does not mean that- "

"Who has died?!"

Theresa Cook's shocked exclamation had Taranee on the verge of a heart attack. As her mother stood nearby, in her strict beige pantsuit, the fire guardian couldn't help but ask herself_. Oh, no!_ How much had she heard?!

Nerissa frowned ever so slightly, turning her head over her shoulder to look at the judge, who just stood there, staring at them. Irma bit the inside of her cheek. No, they weren't ready for this. No one was...No one had to know of Alexis's death before someone reported him dead... And as Taranee was getting ready to serve her mother some lie...

"I'm sorry I barged in on your conversation, but your figure of speech caught my attention."- Theresa was slowly coming to her senses. "Everything with Cassidy is alright, right? Yes, you said man..."

Nerissa smiled exaggeratedly. She hadn't heard that much, after all... The ex-guardian saw the perfect opportunity to beguile her:

"Yes, Theresa. Thankfully, Cassidy and her baby are fine. The girls and I were discussing the man who committed that terrorist act in London, last week. Did you hear on the news? He has been diffused before starting another attack earlier today. We had a little...dispute, for the girls think that no one deserves to die while I think that such vile terrorists do."

"Oh..."- Theresa shook her head to herself and tossed her hair back. Suddenly she felt silly for stepping in this conversation at all. There was just this something about Mrs. Crossnic... Something which she couldn't describe, but it was there. "That...I heard, yes. What can I tell you. Sometimes it is for the best to just leave things in God's hands and not question his actions."

Taranee could finally take a breath of relief. She and Irma exchanged glances and Irma shrugged with a grimace. She wasn't too thrilled to admit it, but Nerissa had indeed managed to get out of the situation like a cat. Perfectly unperturbed and between the drops, never landing on her back.

* * *

"Why?!"- Will's voice thundered. "Why did you agree to listen to him? He's a liar! He's..."- she had to stop herself before lashing out entirely, forgetting every moral line and the fact that Tony Vandom was her father. But boy did she wish he wasn't at this point...

As she observed the strange scene before herself, Will could only tighten her fist in rage. She was sitting in her mother's living room with Susan herself. Matt was sitting next to her, holding her hand firmly. Dean was also here, standing by one of the windows...The last man in the room, however. The last man in the room, her father, was the one who Will had a hard time looking at. Tony was here. After all that he had caused...He looked ever so slightly ashamed. Thrilling.

"Will..."- her mother began quietly. This was the third day of no sleep for her and it was starting to show under her eyes. "I reacted just like you when Halinor invited me to meet this man. Even more severely...I wanted to kill your father then and there!"

Will just frowned. Had the circumstances been different, she would've been shocked by the fact that Halinor of all people had made Tony stop hiding and come to them. But the ex-guardians had already spoken to her and she knew their side of the story, and what connected them to Tony or, much rather, Thomas Vandom. What was left now was to hear him out and that was a challenge. Mrs. Lair had also shown magnality by choosing not to report Tony to the police, after seeing him. All of these people had decided to let things resolve in the family itself, before having the court sort the biggest of their problems out...But the problem was, that since so many years, the Vandom family had ceased to exist...

"I don't support your father by any means, but things are touchier than you think."- Susan went on with a sigh. "But Will...what has happened yesterday evening is a true game changer! I'm still in shock! Can you believe that Serena and her brother have been doing so much dirty to us over the last weeks? They're responsible for _your miscarriage_! I won't spare them!"

Will and Matt exchanged glances. Yes, indeed, that last night had been a game changer. Thanks to her friends, Alexis's truth had resurfaced. But that didn't mean that Tony would get away with his mistakes!

"So what? Their stupid revenge doesn't change the fact that Thomas Vandom is a murderer."- the keeper of the Heart said coldly, crossing her arms on her chest. "Or perhaps now you'll say that the corpse they found in your condo is also a frame job, _Tommy_? Mom, he's using you again! Using us to get out of the situation!"

"Will, I'm doing no such thing. It was never my intention to hurt you- "- he was speaking for the first time since she had gotten here and had already managed to infuriate her.

"Oh, shut the fuck up!"- Will said loudly, standing up from her place.

"Will..."

"Just don't you dare give me that line! It was never your intention...Then what were your intentions?! You've been hurting her ever since she married you and me, ever since the divorce!"- the redhead shouted, pointing at the sobbing Susan, despite Matt's attempts to calm her down. "Your money addiction! Your lies, your fake death! Now this! You laid a murder on our backs and left us to deal with your mistakes on our own! You are a bad person, _dad_."

Will shook her head in disgust.

"Had you wanted, you could've come to face your responsibilities way before Halinor and Kadma's interference. But you're afraid of that word, aren't you? You're afraid of having responsibilities towards anything!"

Tony smiled weakly in response. In broad day light, he looked almost the same as she remembered him since childhood, but his daughter could swear that upon hearing her words, his wrinkles had deepened. His eyes had become lusterless and that smile on his lips exuded nothing but sadness. Sadness over his life.

"You're right, Will. I do fear having to be responsible. I am a coward. And that's only so because deep down in my soul, I know that I won't ever be able to change that. It has always been like that, ever since I was a teenager. After I lost my parents, my entire being was tainted for life. I know that I'll never be a better person, no matter how hard I try. Your mother has told me this, many times. I was born under an ill-omened star. I bring pain and misery to those who love me."- Susan sighed and looked down at that. But Will wasn't moved by her father's soupy little speech. Nothing he did or said would ever make her forgive his wrongs:

"Why did you kill that man and why did you leave us to deal with the consequences of your poor choices again."- she just shot. "Who was he?"

Silence. Her parents' silence enveloped the entire room.

"Oh, no, you have to tell me!"- Will walked to her mother and shook her by the shoulders. She had seen that look the older woman had exchanged with Tony. She knew. She knew something which she wasn't saying out loud. That was why she had allowed him in her house, why Dean allowed him, for that matter. Why she wasn't the first one to send him to jail. The world was spinning in front of Will's eyes. Everything was starting to fall into place:

"No, you can't just stand still and silent."- Matt interfered dryly. "We lost our first baby, because of these scandals behind the scenes. Because of Serena and her brother, who felt like they must take revenge on you."- and the young musician pointed at Tony with the grimace of a suffered warrior, which he was, to a great extent. Losing his firstborn, the existence of which he hadn't even been aware of, was one of the very last drops he could take.

Susan swallowed the tears back as if they were burning lava and finally spoke:

"Many years ago, right before my eighteenth birthday... something, something terrible happened to me. Me and your father had just gotten to know each other. We had just started dating and everything was... Everything was g-good. We were happy."- her voice was trembling. "I was about to graduate highschool. But I had this problem with my GPA, because of PE. I had been ill many times that flu season, I had missed on practice and the teacher wanted to leave me with a C for the end of the semester. A C in my senior year, I couldn't take that...I couldn't accept one C in PE to tarnish my GPA! I know. I know this sounds so stupid and petty right now, but back then I didn't think like that. You know that I hold good notes in high regard, Will."- Susan stopped for a second. "I talked to my teacher, but he refused to listen to me. He called me lazy and that really sparked the anger in me; lazy? Me? That wasn't true, I had just been sick a lot... A-Anyhow, I wasn't concordant with that statement by any means, hence I went to the vice principal's office. My biggest mistake...I'm not proud of the intentions that I had back when I entered that office, all these years ago... I thought that I could talk that man into giving me a hand and help me save my perfect GPA. I knew that he liked me, I was a great student and I was...rather a-attractive. As immodest at that will sound, I knew that many boys and men liked me. Mr. Phelps, the vice principal, was one of them. B-but I've never even considered that his liking to me could ever develop such nature..."

Will was listening with a cocked eyebrow, waiting for the hidden camera to pop out any minute now. She couldn't believe the words that were coming out of her own mother's mouth. This story: it sounded so very surreal, but Susan's sincerity was evident in her eyes and her voice as she went on:

"...I don't want to get into details, because that day has haunted me ever since. But Mr. Phelps seemed to have gotten the wrong message from my visit in his office. Things escalated...escalated quickly, and I was shocked. Yes, it was wrong of me to try to use my charm to make someone help me get a better note in school, but I had never intended to use my _sexuality _for that p-purpose. Mr. Phelps was older than my father, how could he ever think that I'd try to seduce him?! It quickly became ugly once he tried to touch me and I reacted in outrage."- Susan narrated. "I left his office under the sound of his insults and never dared to look back...I didn't tell anyone about my experience and what the vice principal tried to do to me, not even your father. It was shameful and surreal, and I decided to just forget about it. Until it happened again...on my prom night, when that man cornered me in the toilets... Apparently, he had followed me; he tried to...he t-tried to- "

"- Let's just say that if I hadn't been at the back of that restroom, waiting for your mother, something really bad could have happened to her."- Tony interjected, having seen that his ex-wife is unable to continue due to the storm of emotions that had hit her. He moved his amber-brown eyes around the room, meeting his daughter's identical orbs. "I have never been a student in that same school, but I had seen that creep before. And when I saw what he was trying to do, honestly speaking, I wasn't too surprised. I was just infuriated, because he dared try touch Susan of all people. Hence, I broke his nose and beat him up. Phelps was a sick man, Will, his obsession with your mother didn't stop there. Over seven years later, he found us again. I guess it wasn't too hard since we decided to live in Fadden Hills, but nevertheless; the creep waited for me to leave the house one night. I had to travel on business, leaving our old home, leaving Susan and you alone...You were just one-year-old, honey, but that didn't stop Miguel Phelps from breaking into our house and trying to force himself on your mother again-"

Will was at a loss of words. She just stood there, staring at her parents, too smitten to ask the most logical question. Susan, however, answered it, nevertheless:

"No, he didn't succeed in his intentions, Will. I fought him, but he was stronger. He...H-he pushed me on the ground, toppling me with a bookshelf, and that's when he saw you. In your crib. As peaceful as you were, Will, in that very moment you started crying so hard. It was as if you knew. You knew that we were in danger...P-Phelps started approaching you, in front of my eyes, I was powerless to stop him. I only screamed and screamed...for a second there, I thought that the worst thing would happen. I thought that monster would hurt my baby...But then...then he suddenly fell to his knees, the moment he tried to touch you!"- the woman stopped for a second, waving her arms as if to describe the magnitude of awe that moment had left in her. "His body shivered in shocks as if he had just been _electrocuted_! A seizure of some sort..."

_Or my powers_, Will thought and looked at Matt, who was obviously thinking the same. _Kandrakar has had it all planned ever since we were born. Naturally, the guardians had to be near the age of the lost heir to the Meridian throne. The same applied for our powers_...

"...I used his seizure to push the bookshelf he had pushed over me, away. In that moment, I knew. I knew that if I run away now, he'd only come back again some other day. I didn't want to live a life of fear. The only way to get rid of my darned vice-principal was to show him that I'm not afraid."- at that part, Susan's eyes started shining with unsuspected valor. The valor of a mother. "It was my turn to make him pay; I grabbed one of Tony's golf sticks and I beat the shit out of Phelps that night."

Matt gawked as Susan tossed a strand of hair away:

"...I made him realize that I was no easy prey and that I needed no one to protect myself and my child from maniacs like him! I told him that, I cursed him! If he ever came near me and my baby girl, he'd drop dead by the means of God and all that's holly!"

"See, even with all that, I didn't intend to kill that old bastard when he came to me last year, Will."- Tony sat on the sofa, throwing his left ankle over his right knee; from the other end of the room, Dean was trying hard not to lash out at him. "Even though we had history and he came to openly taunt me that night, out of the blue. He had just discovered my address and came without a warning. He was old and fragile, but he was as deranged as ever. He made dirty comments about your mother and you, I don't know what he wanted to achieve with that. His hollow threats weren't what bothered me, it was his obnoxious smirk and that ugly look of obsession in his eyes. Ever since your mother rejected him, that creep had made it his life mission to get back on her. For 20 years, he hadn't been able to come to Heatherfield, and now he thought that he had any power to hurt you? I pushed him back after his umpteenth provocation; some ugly comment about what he'd do to you. It wasn't even a hard shove."- the man looked at his two hands with a frown. "The old motherfucker, however, fell back and hit his head on the tiles. He died on the spot. That demon had finally managed to leave a mark on us, after so many years. By having the audacity to die in my house. Then again, I guess in some way, God did do his job."

There was a silence. Will blinked a few times, unsure of how to respond to all that. Apparently, her parents had more soap opera-worthy moments in their past, than she had known. Matt took the word, as respectively as possible. Even though he sympathized with the situation to the maximum extent of his empathy, there was something in Mr. Vandom which he didn't like:

"I see how that might have opened old wounds. For both of you. And I'm not saying that that man didn't deserve the fate which he had, but Mr. Vandom, that still doesn't explain why. Why you left this burden on the shoulders of those you care about?"

Tony estimated the younger man with a look and sighed. He dared to steal a glimpse of Will as well. She appeared stoical and confused, but she would soon start asking the same question. Susan shook her head once his eyes were on her. He didn't expect of her to talk instead of him, not on that, at least. It was enough that she had agreed to trust him again after everything, Tony didn't want to force things. And that Collins in the room, was just another reminder...Gathering all his thoughts and smoothing his hair back with his hands, Tony replied:

"I didn't mean to. I know I sound like a broken record with this by now. But the circumstances...the circumstances were difficult and pressing. I didn't...fake my own death, just because that old fool died in my house. As I said, I didn't murder him. I was in a good place, last year. Everything was going great for my finances and my work; I was a happy man in a very good place. I would have disposed of that body and nobody would've known. Phelps was a loner. I doubt he even had any close people at the time, no one would've noticed that he's missing... But Serena. Serena thought otherwise. She thought that she could use what had happened to blackmail me."

"What are you talking about?!"- Will asked. "Serena blames you, you blame Serena, who are we supposed to believe?!"

"Will."- her father sighed. "I know I haven't exactly been a good father to you. I know what a misfortunate man I am. But are you really going to trust the woman who caused your miscarriage over me? I don't care what happens to me, I will punish her for what she did to you before I go to jail or die. That doesn't matter. I swear, Will. Had that bitch not forced me into exile, everything would've been better. She and Phelps ruined our life."

Will's moth hung open. It finally made some sense. Some sense out of this entire mess... She met Susan's eyes:

"Mom."- she gasped in disbelief. "That's why you accepted him here, isn't it? You want to take revenge on Serena for my miscarriage?! That's wrong! I don't want to-"

"Yes, I do!"- Susan interrupted her hoarsely and grabbed a hold of her shoulders. "No Will! Stop trying to persuade me otherwise! I'm done emphasizing with that woman! She killed my unborn grandchild. She deserves to be punished!"

"She is punished enough as it is, she lost a baby too and she can't have any more! Having hate for anyone, especially a woman who's denied maternal joy, is bellow you! And besides, dad is-"

"Your father is many things, but ask Halinor, ask anyone, he would never hurt you. He wouldn't hurt us like that!"- Susan shook her head frantically. "In part, his actions are wrong, but Serena crossed all lines! She was the one who started everything by trying to use Phelps's accidental death to her advantage! How dare she interfere in a matter of our past? What did she _not_ do to us, Will?! She tried to kill me repeatedly!"

Tony put his hand on his ex-wife's shoulder in a soothing manner, making Dean tighten his fist. Matt was bedazzled and so was his girlfriend, but Susan was just furious:

"Oh, and one more thing. The details around Serena's miscarriage are not tragic as they are stupid and her fault! I mean, if you're selfish enough to demand going to a bar, when 4 months pregnant, you don't really want to have a child as badly, don't you think? Your father refused to take her out that night. She went on, nevertheless. In that bar, someone shoved an elbow in her stomach, by accident. She fell down on the dancefloor, but no one noticed. No one cared, they stepped all over her, which is terrible, but again… A pregnant woman's place is not in a bar! She lost her baby due to her ignorance! She blames Tony, but is it his fault, really? Is it his fault that she was too selfish to humble down for 9 months?! Her choices led to her miscarriage. Her choices led to your miscarriage as well, and that's why I'll never forgive her!"- Susan clicked her fingers with tears in her eyes. "I will teach Serena Sanchez a lesson which she'll never forget!"

Will turned around in shock, meeting Matt's eyes. What they had thought to be the end of this horrible string of events, would turn out to be just the beginning.

* * *

"Theresa, it means so much to me that you approved of the name which I chose for my son."- Cassidy smiled warmly at the other woman, who was holding her hand. "Nathaniel, after my father... I know that it can be seen as a little old fashioned, but- "

"Cassidy, please, sweetheart. First of all, that's your son and you have the full right to choose his name."- the judge smiled at the new mother and then at her husband, who stood by the bed with her. "Besides, I sincerely approve of your choice. It's not old-fashioned at all."

"Yes!"- Lionel agreed. "Nathaniel is such a dignifying name too! People can still call him "Nate" or "Nathan" for short. It's a perfect choice and honoring your late father like that is great and very sweet of you."

Theresa smiled and nodded.

Cassidy couldn't be happier. Peter's family were all spoiling her rotten. They were so sweet, just like him. And now that she had graced them with a grandson, too, they couldn't love her more. But the same applied for her. She had never thought that this would happen to her, not after her past...But now. Now everything was just perfect.

Someone knocked on the door.

"Cassidy! Honey, we're so happy for you!"- Halinor and Kadma had just entered the private hospital room, which Vera had rented, together with the entire hospital apartment, holding balloons and presents. "Congratulations!"

"Hal, Kads! Thanks, girls."- Cassidy beamed. "Come on in!"

Theresa and Lionel stood up to greet the newcomers and then leave them in private with their friend.

"Congratulations to you too, Mr. and Mrs. Cook."- the former Fire guardian said to them with a warm smile, tossing her light blonde curls aside. "Your first grandchild, am I right? A milestone to be cherished! This is such a happy day for all of us!"

"Thank you."- Theresa smiled in response. "Yes, indeed. Soon, we should all get together for a celebration. Cassidy's friends are naturally important to us too!"

"Likewise."- Kadma replied.

Theresa and her husband nodded one last time before officially leaving the three friends to catch up with each other.

"Look at you."- Halinor beamed in joy, setting one red lock out of Cassidy's face. "You're a mother. A mother, Cass! Your new life is as full of love and joy as you've always deserved. I'm so happy for you."

"I know. I still can't believe it."- Cassidy's eyes watered. "I'm so grateful and lucky... Thank you, girls. For being here with me, sharing my moment. For all the balloons and just yourselves. This is just how I've always imagined my maternity to start."

"And this is just what we've always wanted for you, Cass."- Kadma took her hand between hers. "What we fought and suffered for. You got what you truly deserved after all these long years, and that can only make our hearts tremble with emotion and immense happiness."

The former Water guardian smiled a grateful smile, bringing her friend's hand to the level of her cheeks.

Halinor caressed her hair:

"When can we see the little man? Is he here?"

"The doctors took him for one last test, but they'll bring him back soon. He's just fine."- Cassidy replied as she got in a more comfortable sitting position. "His name's Nathaniel."

"Oh yeah? Fantastic, Cassidy! I bet Emily's ecstatic."- the blonde exclaimed.

"She is."- Cassidy confirmed. "I'm so happy that she could live to see this. And now that my son carries dad's name, she's even happier... You know I've been doing everything to treat her over the last ten years. We still have so much time to make up for, but I'm glad that I could add giving birth to the milestones in that time span."

Halinor nodded with understanding.

"What about Peter? Where is he?"- Kadma wanted to know.

"Oh, he's busy bragging about having a son. His friends from all over have been calling him all day."- the redhead laughed. "We're good, girls. Thank God, we're all good, even though I wasn't due to three more weeks. Nathaniel is a healthy, beautiful baby and we're lucky parents."

Kadma patted her tight, high bun and nodded.

"Indeed you are, Cass. May the almighty universal forces protect you from evil eyes, always."- and by an old Indian custom, the ex-guardian brought her finger close to her heavy black eyeliner, and then left a little black dot from it behind Cassidy's ear.

* * *

"I told ya I was fine! You're too much, granddaughter."- Yan Lin exclaimed gruffly and unraveled her sleeve after getting her blood pressure taken one last time. The nurse had just left the testing room after delivering the results from the blood tests. Thankfully, all of Yan Lin's indicators were in norm. "When did you became my elder to preach to me?"

"Grandma, don't act like a child! You were already feeling under the weather. And after Irma's mind control fiasco, you almost fainted! We had to make sure you're OK."- Hay Lin crossed her arms on her chest.

"Yeah, sorry about that, Mrs. Lin."- Irma held her hands behind her back. "Didn't know that it would affect you that much."

She, Hay Lin, Taranee and Cornelia were all in the room with the ex-guardian, who was eager to leave. She wanted to go to Cassidy.

"Ya, ya. Let's just get outta here."- she scoffed. "I hate hospitals. If you must know, I only came to see Cassidy and her baby."

Hay Lin was just about to scold her again, when the lights in the room suddenly flickered and went out. The five women looked around each other in utter darkness.

"Umm, what's happening?"- Irma mused.

"It seems like the power is out."- Cornelia noted.

"That's impossible...The hospital has its own generators; it can never be left without power."- Taranee objected and used her control over fire to shed some light in the dark room.

The moment she did that, she regretted it, because she almost suffered a heart attack. The four girls screamed at the image that suddenly popped out of nowhere.

Jessie Alexis's blood covered body floating in the air... But that was impossible! He had died! _He was dead!_

The lights flickered and were suddenly working again. A sinister laugh sounded behind the guardians, making them jump in their places before turning around.

"B-but that is impossible. You...you are dead!"- Cornelia stammered pointing at the man. "We saw you, you-"

"Is that...is that his-"

"- Jessie's ghost."- Hay Lin finished Irma's words in horror, shielding her grandmother with her body.

"But how..."

"I died because of you. I knew that there was more to your audacity than you displayed. Why you were all so sure in yourself. You've had your magic all along."- Jessie's harsh voice echoed in the testing room as he appeared and disappeared, again and again, in a circle around them. "You killed me!"

"No, you died, because you were a sorry asshole!"- Irma yelped, even though her throat was overtaken by the pressure of her fear. "You did horrible things to the Vandoms! Fuck off!"

Jessie appeared right in front of her, making her fall back.

"I'm not done with the Vandoms!"- he hissed. "Just you wait and watch what I'll do from now on. I may be dead, but I'm not finished."

"Why you-"

"But how did this happen?!"- Taranee couldn't wrap her mind around it. "Alexis was a mortal person with no special abilities, he's not like Icona... How is his spirit able to exists in our reality without being summoned or bound to mortal plain?! This is surreal!"

"Sometimes spirits do that, but it's a rarity...I'm guessing that overage from Irma's magic was left on him. And because he died so soon after, that magic shaped his spirit, giving him extra abilities."- Yan Lin concluded.

"Then I'll take my magic back!"- Irma raged and focused on the ghost in front of herself.

Jessie laughed once again and swung his hand, creating a wave of force which sent them flying to the ground.

"It's mine now, Lair. I've been able to do unthinkable things ever since I died! You can't take that magic away from me, it's a part of my spirit now. After that truck ran me over, I needed time to recognize the situation and what had happened, but then I saw you."- and he pointed at Irma and Cornelia. "I saw you and I instantly understood everything. Coming to terms with reality was a challenge, but I _adore_ a challenge. I can now do so much more without facing people! They don't see me. Only you do, because you're magical."- he spat. "But guess what. You're not the only magical ones any longer! In this form of mine, you no longer have the power to stop me. I will finish the Vandoms off, like I intended to, and shall be avenged!"

Without even thinking, Taranee just sent a fire ball at him, which went right though his ethereal body. _Of course_, she thought bitterly. _He's not a living creature...Fire doesn't burn even though some gases, what is left a wandering soul without a body...Stressing out 24/7 will have the last of my brain..._

Hay Lin tried to blow him away, but even though she controlled the air, her magic, just like Taranee's, went right through the ghost. _He is right,_ the young Air guardian realized in terror. They were powerless to stop him. Now what were they going to do?!

"Girls, stop!"- Yan Lin ordered. "Your anger feeds him! You're making his spirit stronger-"

"Spare us the drivel, granny. There is so much more energy around this wretched city for me to feed on! You freaks control the natural elements, don't you? But your elements don't affect spirits. You no longer have any advantages over me. The advantage is now mine."- the ghost laughed coldly. "No element has the power to touch me, but I can certainly touch whoever I want to. And the ones whose necks I intend to wrap my fingers around first, are Tony Vandom and his family!"

_Now our doom is in the cards_, Irma thought grimly as Cornelia just shook her head in denial. Involuntarily, they had helped that evil prick to keep on torturing them, even from the grave. _Fantastic._

Suddenly, the ghost cringed in pain as strong, electrical charges brought him down to wither in the corner of the room. He could no longer move. He could no longer talk...he could just cringe in pain, pain which only living creatures were supposed to feel...But how?!

"One element can still touch you, alright. In fact, I can do more than that. Being the element of life, quintessence gives many options to choose from. I can bound you to any reality I decide to. I can cast you away for good. How does that sound?"

"Will!"- the others exclaimed at the redhead, who had just appeared in the testing room. Her head was high and her gaze was firm.

Jessie turned around to glare at her:

"You..."

"Stay away from my family."- Will whispered though gritted teeth. "You're over. You did what you could. Now you're _dead_. It's all over for you!"

In the matter of seconds, and one last scowl, his spirit disappeared. That wasn't the last they'd see of him, Will knew. But he was the least of her concerns.

"Will! Thank God you came. Irma's mind magic gave Jessie's ghost shape and-"

"I figured so. That's not important."- the keeper of the Heart asserted. "First of all, I want to apologize to you girls for being a sorry brat lately. I am sorry for giving you reasons to worry. I am sorry for letting you deal with everything alone...I am back now. Back to being normal."- she smiled back at her friends as they cheered. "Guardians, buckle up. We have a lot of work to complete."

* * *

_**Gray Wood Mines...**_

Leonida snuck out of the rest house, wearing a big dark golden cape and holding a lantern in her hand.

It was cold and dark out, just like she had wanted it to be during this important moment. She had purposely waited for night to fall, just to be sure that Aldarn and his father won't be able to see her. During the nights, they relaxed and let her out of their sight, reassured by the fact that she was unable to overstep the invisible borders around her prison.

_Fools_, Leonida thought with a smirk. They didn't know that, unlike other people, she needed not leave home arrest in order to get her things done.

Finding herself a good, secluded place behind the building that represented her prison, she took out the little brooch she had torn off of her son's cloak earlier that same day. When it fell in her open palm, it grew in size...

_"Princess Leonida? Princess Leonida, can you hear me?"_

"I can hear you."- Leonida replied to the male voice that was suddenly coming from the pendant. She smiled with delight. "You've done well, indeed. Thinking of such a devious little plan to get the Order of Coronia to me was brilliant."

"_Anything for you, my princess!_"- the voice said again. "_After all, sewing something which belongs to you in the little prince's clothes and then persuading Elyon to take him to see you, was the least we could do. You need to have that talisman in you. But in the end of the day, we have to thank Elyon. For being this adorably naïve..."_

"Ah, true."- the ex-princess giggled quietly, her indigo eyes shining in the night. "Even though she's getting tougher, Elyon is still convenient to manipulate...That must remain so. That's exactly why you must pressure her into marrying my brother as soon as possible. I see her become less and less naïve. I don't need her to see through all my acts and intentions without time. This wedding needs to take place before her next birthday, make her believe that! I know that many forces are working against me, and time is my enemy."

"_Precisely, your Highness! The Queen is almost ready to accept the need of her to finally put on Coronia's crown. We're using her self-reproach and sense of debt to trigger that. The wedding will be soon, I'm positive. Very soon, I'll give you the good news."_

Leonida smiled again. This was music to her ears. But it was too early celebrate, she knew:

"Very well."- she said to the pendant. "Now that we have this direct mean of communication, it will be easier. Be ready to answer me and give me information, each and every night, once the moon reaches its zenith in my dear kingdom. And don't let Elyon or the guardians get to know of the Order's Crypt. They mustn't discover it like they did with that darned room which my late mommy created! That was an utter disaster, for even we didn't know that this place existed. It still represents great danger."

_"No, princess! That will never repeat itself again! Worry not. And the attack over that man, the leader of the-"_

"Postpone that for now. If anything happens to him before my moment has passed with success, the Mage will undoubtedly kill me. Caleb will be undone during Elyon's wedding. That way, Nerissa's attention will be occupied by Phobos, who'll have fulfilled his promise to hurt her son."-the enchantress's voice shivered with rancorous delight. "He threatened him, didn't he? In her eyes, that will be the only goal to pursue... She'll be so busy with taking her revenge for her fallen son, she won't have the time to pay attention to me and my deeds. That way she won't be interrupting me."- Leonida chuckled spitefully. "I can't possibly afford to take any more risks with that witch. She's too cunning, but soon...Soon that won't matter. Anyway, Eme. I'll speak to you again. Wish me a good night of sleep and lots of success. Keep being loyal to me and when I'm where I deserve to be, I'll reward you generously."

The connection was cut off, but Leonida didn't put her newest acquisition away just yet. She waved the Order of Coronia three times, until golden smoke started to emerge from it. Smoke which soon overtook the entire village of Gray Wood Mines.

_I may not need to leave just yet, but I need to have my magic_, she smirked, satisfied with the effect her talisman had had. The cold wind blew the skirts of her cape back as she stood stoically, observing the dark landscape. _I have to have my magic at my disposal. The sparks of intrigue have the power to ignite grand fires of destruction, Elyon. What do you know?! Soon, all my poor enemies will be left in tears. What is to come is like nothing they've ever seen before._


	32. Emotionally Labile

_**Chapter 32: Emotionally Labile**_

_Tonight, I trample on my promise to be well,_  
_the ashtray is full and now its natural-_  
_to fall and break the floor,_  
_to come down and break the floor!_

_He also tramples on his promise to be only mine,_  
_the lips are wet from tears and now its natural-_  
_to drink more and more wine, to drink more and more wine!_

_My heart is emotionally labile,_  
_for only drunk I stand stable!_  
_He may take all, but the bottles on this shelf,_  
_tonight I'm here from him to cure myself!_

_My heart is emotionally labile,_  
_it has a birth talent to feel dire__-_  
_when only one desires me out of all these men__,_  
_why did it have to be, exactly him?_

When the clapping stopped, Nerissa bowed and left the scene for a short break. Her transparent, sheathed with golden powder body-stocking stage outfit, glowed under the lights. Hooked on with garters, silken leg warmers went down her shines, keeping her pointed, thin heels semi-covered. She made her way to the dressing rooms in the back.

Nerissa was in her zenith tonight. The audience was roaring with rapture. It was her time to shine. This was her night.

She sat herself down in front of the big mirror and opened a bottle of water. There was something amazing in being able to compose a melody and adjust it to your text, but the performance part had to be what she loved most.

* * *

Harold Hale was playing with his infant grandson, elated by the way the little boy held his index finger with his small hands. There was something enchanting in the capturing of such a life event- having a grandchild. Especially for the bank owner, who had two daughters. Yes, he loved his girls dearly, but having a male descendant brought him an entirely new strain of pride.

Elizabeth entered the living area with a plate full of lamb shoulder and citrus-fennel salad, which she handed to Caleb with a smile. The young man returned the smile as he took it from her and nodded amicably.

He and Cornelia were visiting the Earth guardian's parents in Garden Plaza that evening, together with their son. Lillian and Chris were also there, by some odd chance, currently in the middle of a poker game with Vera. Normally, they preferred to be only in each other's company, but tonight they were here with the Hales.

Cornelia came from the upper floor and flipped her long hair back before seating herself on the sofa next to Caleb, who was too busy eating. This was his second portion after they had already had dinner all together around the dining room table. The guardian rolled her eyes in amusement as she watched her boyfriend devour the food like a hungry wolf. Then again, he had always had a healthy appetite. With all the physical exertion he performed all the time, it was inevitable.

"Look at him, mother."- Harold exclaimed from his sofa. Killian was giggling. "Look at him! He's trying to get my watch. My grandson has an eye for good quality!"

"Well, but of course, Harold."- Vera replied from the dining room area, setting her very next hand of aces down. "He's a Hale, after all! We're_ born winners with flair!_"

"What, again?!"- Chris whined and threw his cards down, defeated. "Come on! That's your third ace hand!"

"As I said- winners."- the grandmother stuck out importantly, fixing the sides of her ritzy blazer.

"You must be cheating, grandma."- Lillian rolled her eyes.

"What?! What's that? Me and cheating? Please, Lillian. Take the defeat like a lady."- Vera snapped.

"And most of all, accept the fact that you two shrimps stink at poker."- Cornelia teased them. She stood up and walked to put her arms on the back of her grandmother's chair with a wicked smirk aimed at the younger blonde.

"Shut up, Cornelia."- her sister pouted and shuffled the cards once again.

Cornelia rolled her eyes and went on her phone. No matter how much time passed and how old they'd get, teasing Lillian back was something she'd never get tired of.

The program was suddenly interrupted, and Elizabeth, who was not at all interested in the news, headed the remote to switch channels. The last thing that excited the successful gallery owner were some annoying reports about other people's troubles, that were, for the most part, entirely their fault.

"Babette!"- Vera grabbed the remote from her daughter in-law's hands. "Are you deaf? They're talking about that cop who ruined my social function! I intend to follow what's happening with him, thank you very much!"

At that, Cornelia instantly perked up. Jessie? What could they be announcing about him again? She met Caleb's eyes, who just nodded barely perceptibly.

"_James_ Alexis?"- Elizabeth narrowed her eyelids. "Didn't they already report him dead, two weeks ago? Someone run him over while he was trying to escape the police-"

"They're still searching for his sister and accomplice."- Vera explained, irked, as she increased the volume. "After the big scandal they got into by abusing authority and pressing false charges against the Vandoms, they're getting sued by many instances. I would go to law with them myself, for what they did at my event, but Theresa advised me not to. She said that the city has already taken the needed measures and that man did die; he got what he deserved. Although things with Tony Vandom are still quite uneven- "

Elizabeth huffed and seated herself next to Harold, who winked at her soothingly, placing a hand on her thigh. She pushed it away; she hated when her mother in-law spoke of Theresa in such a prissy way and with so much respect. Something which she never seemed to have for her. Her son's _actual_ wife.

Cornelia already had her phone ready. She wanted to hear the end of the reportage before calling the girls. Two relatively peaceful weeks had passed. Peaceful for Heatherfield, at least. But not for them. They were still under pressure and Mrs. Vandom's idea of revenge only further strained them. They had to reach Serena before her and Tony, otherwise things could get unnecessarily dark...

"..._Serena Sanchez, who had taken the false identity of Emilia Thompson, has been seen at Midgale's national rail station earlier today. Eyewitnesses allege that the 39-year-old attempted to leave the state by train, but run away when recognized by one of the security officers at the train station. We remind our viewers that the fugitive was blocked in the region two weeks ago, after her brother's full confessions in front of a mass of policemen at an annual event in Heatherfield. Serena will be tried for proven fraud, unproven attempted murder, hiding from the law and complicity in the actions of her brother, who died before being caught by police. The hot-line you can call in case you recognize Serena Sanchez will appear on your screens-_"

"They recognized her but didn't stop her?! What dullards!"- Vera shook her head and turned to Chris. "Say, when is your father coming back? The police around here seem to be unable to do anything without him!"

"We hope that he'll be back this Saturday. They've found him a replacement there- "

Cornelia didn't wait to hear Chris's answer. She headed for her old bedroom, dialing her friends on the way. Their telepathic channels were still sore after Irma's overuse of mental control magic...

* * *

**_At another part of town..._**

"So, we know that things are not at they appear. We know that the Dark Descendant is not necessarily a person. We know that it's more of a curse that affects many people, but its main purpose is to get rid of the unworthy. Many years ago, Coronia's Golden Spring and its abundance turned everyone into rich people. The cult of the Dark Descendant wants to restore the previous rows- the previous classes and castes of the kingdom."- Taranee left her pen down and looked at her ipad's screen.

Over the last weeks, quite a few things had cleared out to her. The book on cults, which described the Dark Descendant, and Icona's sources and explanation of the hidden room, created by Magana, had helped greatly. The fire guardian had finally managed to fix a few particular verses of the always changing prophecy, that made sense. And all the versions she stumbled upon no longer baffled and confused her as much. She had her main verses which helped her understand things best. However, one question was still burning Taranee's mind. And that question was: what to do from now on? Yes, they had all this information at their disposal. They had their legend and their suspects located and under lock. But even with all that, nothing happened. Absolutely nothing. The danger which Icona had spoken of was nowhere to be seen, yet that dread lingered around them... The Oracle shared her concerns to the most minimalist extents. Kandrakar was positive- Phobos and Leonida had to be guarded thoroughly. That was the guardians' task now. The entire story with their unborn child seemed to trouble the elders more than the old prophecy. Taranee got that. One had to have critical thinking, not blindly believe and await legends and prophecies to come to life. She had learned that the hard way, yet still... Icona's words echoed in the young woman's ears at night. The Countess's hoarse warning and Monica's empty gaze..._The Dark Descendant is rising...Things are not as they appear..._

Taranee frowned. She needed a break, but this was just eating her on the inside.

"Someone has to be able to tell us more, I have the dire feeling that we're not doing enough..."

"But Tara, who can we ask? They're all dead. Not to mention Magana locked essence from the previous queens to ensure that the 'evil' will never linger free again, casting away the spirits forevermore. You heard the Oracle."- Hay Lin said. She had just finished paining a portrait of Eric, who was also in the room- posing shirtless. They were going to compete in yet another one of Hay Lin's countless contests, and for that, they had gathered in the university's arts and crafts room.

"I know what the Oracle said-"

"...Over the years, Coronia has been in this situation many times, but they've taken care of things on their own. Every couple of decades, a potential 'Dark Descendant' has come to the stage, but the realm has never died, nor have they caused any damage to the rest of the Universe. Its in those books of yours. And the book which Nerissa stole from the Forbidden Wing. The changing book."- Eric finished his narration with an innocent smirk, to Taranee's irritation. He had the nasty habit of exposing other people's bad habits- in the case, Taranee's wont to repeat things that bother her again and again, which she had done again, obviously. Since even _he_ had memorized all that.

The guardian scoffed. _He's lucky he has those blue eyes and is dashing, otherwise..._

"This would come to show that even if Phobos, Leonida or their child, happen to have that 'Dark Descendant' scintilla, we're already doing all that we can."- the air guardian concluded, putting one of her brushes in one of her buns. "I mean, what better way to have control over a situation than keeping the suspects under constant watch?"

Taranee didn't say anything. She went through the verses which she had put together from the books, once again:

_When all leaves fall in spring,  
__despite the power of the Queen,  
__a fruit of sin that comes and goes  
__will blast and smitten all the foes._

_A truth so sweet and yet so bitter-  
__the crown will fall and she will wither,  
__secrets all hidden, but not escaped-  
__the gold will be once more unstained._

_The sacred source that's for the worthy  
__will no more be topsy-turvy,  
__the power will come to the royal,  
__bad blood they'll spill, the savior's loyal-  
__and end they'll put to the independent,  
__all hail the Dark Descendant!_

_The Descendant is local and a stranger,  
__he, she or it are walking danger,  
__but danger harnessed and attained,  
__will serve the founders of the way.  
_

_The way of the pure-blooded and the holly,  
__the way to walk with pride and glory!_

"Are we talking about _that_ again?"- Will and Irma had just returned to the art room with beer and snacks. "Cause, by now, I know that little poem by heart."

Taranee sighed. Thinking time was officially over.

"Boy, you don't have a shirt or something?"- the water-witch winked at Eric, who smirked.

"I'm leaving you, ladies."- he held his hands up jokingly, but Irma knew better. He was actually doing it to flex his muscles. The fire guardian rolled her eyes in amusement before thanking Will, who was handing her a bottle.

"I'll be giving dad a hand; he has to pack a lot of luggage and equipment. He and mom will be taking another study trip. One of those that take up to two months... Gotta run. See ya!"

"See you at home."- Hay Lin waved happily, as her boyfriend put his hoodie on and headed out.

The others also voiced their goodbyes before the young astronomer left the room.

"Alright, Hay Lin, spill the tea. Did you do an entirely nude sketch of your boyfriend and where are you hiding it?"

Will and Taranee looked at each other meaningfully, but Hay Lin just blushed:

"That's only for me to look at, Irma."

Taranee used the time which Irma spent in making different kinky assumptions about their Asian friend's love life, to go through her phone. And then she saw it. Right there, on top of her lock screen wallpaper, that happened to be a picture of Nigel in his basketball clothes; _10_ missed calls from Cornelia.

"Oh boy..."

* * *

It was already 10 AM when Nerissa woke up to an empty house. It was only normal since she had returned late the last evening, when everyone had already been asleep. After a whole night of pursuing her career-related dreams. Coming to think of that, it almost made her seem like a normal, working woman.

Nerissa smirked at that thought before she rose from bed. In spite of all the changes that had occurred for her, she was far from normal and everyone knew it. In fact, doing all these 'normal' things only further proved that, for she did it all with such otherworldly flair and aptitude...

The ex-guardian started to get ready for her day. A hot shower, a new pair of clothes, hair and makeup... Doing all that to the extent of perfection, which she was striving to reach, would normally take hours upon hours, but Nerissa used her magic to get things done faster, as per usual. She was so attached to the power of making her brushes and appliances do the work for her while she did something else. It was so empowering.

Today was a day when she needed not go to Meridian. She knew that Julian was already there, attending his duties. Caleb was at the restaurant. Nerissa frowned. Thinking of that now, she realized that she hated the idea of her son working for the Lins after so many years. He deserved better than that, but unfortunately, when it came to life on Earth, he didn't seem to have great ambitions. On Meridian, he was completely different of course. There he was main lead. He was perfectly happy with his positions in his homeland, and that source of income, and his little job on Earth was just something which he could easily fit in his schedule. His mother, however, knew better. She knew that her son needed and deserved more than that. And even though Yan Lin had officially made him what she called a "host" at the Dragon, her friend wasn't impressed. Serving food and attending to the needs of customers? No, that wasn't for Caleb, even if he had gotten comfortable with it over the years. He was a born leader. He had to lead others, to great, new heights. His place on Earth would be as the boss of some big corporation or notable organization.

_Yes..._Nerissa thought as she sprayed more hairspray over her long half-ponytail, that consisted of but a fraction of her giant hair. The rest fell freely down, blending in with the ponytail at the back of her head, creating a voluminous, rich black waterfall of waves. _Caleb would fit such a position perfectly. My father used to be head of a big cooperation. I should to have some sort of rights over it, shouldn't I? I will have that checked out._

She had been thinking about these things more and more in recent times. To be honest, the ex-guardian had started considering her son's professional future on Earth ever since she had returned in his life, but many things had happened since then, distracting her from what seemed of lesser importance. But in fact, it wasn't all that trifling.

After all, Caleb would be spending a great part of his life on Earth, undoubtedly, as he was bound to Cornelia, whose roots were here. And given the fact that she was the guardian of Earth, trying to tamper with her roots was a pointless task, even if her mother in-law was to take it into consideration. Moreover, Cornelia wasn't to be underestimated. She still needed to finish her little college, but she had already started with the modeling, as Nerissa knew, she had done in the past also. With her looks, success followed her along. The last thing which Nerissa wanted for her son was to one day be financially dependent of his wife, as trivial and simpleton-like that sounded, even to her. She just knew.  
On Earth, one had to be aware and in time with every trivial detail. That cop's death and actions had reminded her once again- people on Earth could be much viler and more dangerous that all Meridianites and otherworldly races. And if one was to, God forbid, have no status or money in a world deprived of magic, one was most definite to be thrown down the stairs of life. That's what she hated about Earth. That's what she had to fight against now; very different qualities were needed for life in Heatherfield than those she had learned over the years spent in other worlds, and taught to her son, in one way or another. Caleb was already so very familiar with his father's culture. He had been raised with it. It was time she showed him the ropes of his mother's world.

And even if many were to stigmatize her opinions, the brunette didn't care. It was her maternal instinct and debt that assured her she had to provide the best she could for her son in a dimension full of injustice.

Nerissa stood up from her vanity and headed for the kitchen. She decided to get something cooked before going out and about with her day. She had no urgent errands or specific plans for the day, since Killian was with his other grandmother.

The ingredients were already flying around the kitchen. Nerissa had settled her mind on a rabbit stew recipe, which she had learned to prepare during the times she had posed as a maid in the royal Meridian palace. Perhaps it didn't sound like the most delicious meal ever, but it was actually quite tasty, especially the way _she_ had learnt to make it. The rebels, her son included, used to love it. And she knew that for sure, because unlike the older men, the kids would never say such a thing out of courtesy. Many rebel kids had told her they lick their fingers after eating her dishes; that used to bring her happiness during those hard times. And so traditional Meridian cuisine she had mastered. Feeling useful, she had missed it so much back then. She would never forget secretly bringing food over at Julian's house, in her disguise as Trill... The fact that nowadays even Cornelia, who was quite a picky eater, enjoyed her stew and ate it, never even able to determine its nature, spoke for itself.

Nerissa chopped a few of the vegetables manually, the rest she threw in the kitchen robot, before plopping everything together in the pressure cooker. All that was left for her to do now was set the timer on the stove and was good to go. The plus side of the pressure cooker was that she didn't have to stir the stew repeatedly, like she had been obliged to do in the past. Everything was sort of happening on its own.

Nerissa leaned over the kitchen island and rocked a smirk. She sure had non-standard takes on womanhood and motherhood, but she knew she had to be doing quite a few things right. And if after so many years she could have a family and take care of them, although in her own way, she was up for it. Nobody had ever expected of her to be a housewife, anyway. Not even her husband's father...

She remembered Lucas, even though she hadn't met him all that many times. And of course, he hadn't been aware of her true identity; neither the fact that she was now Mage, nor that she was Kandrakar's detested, sentenced to a life of isolation and pain, head-guardian. She had used her magic essence to make him, just like many others, see the real her, even if with dulled contrasts. Multidirectional glamouring- yes, it had many benefits, it didn't alter her true appearance, the one she had had before being thrown on top of Thanos. That had been more than fabulous. It helped her keep her pride, yet appear like a new person to those who had seen her in the past. (if there were even any such people left back then. She had just wanted to be sure.) The weak sides? That type of glamouring used a _hell_ lot of life force. After a certain point, she hadn't been able to use it any longer- under the glamour, her real body had been suffering the immense usage of life force, and her potions no longer helped. That had been when she had switched to standard glamouring.

Nevertheless, Julian's father had liked her. Not knowing a thing about her true identity, he had shaken his finger and said:

_"This girl. This girl is not the type of girl to stay home and do the housework, are you, my dear? No, you're too...too intriguing for that. Listen what I tell you, Julian, she's not the type you'd think would take care of you in your old age, even if she does, but she's the one who's going to rock your entire life and make it an adventure. For the better."_

Nerissa would never forget these words. Especially because, to a certain extent, they had turned out to be prophetic. Lucas had been a handsome man with a charming personality, and she had genuinely liked him. Three years after the real Mage had died, he and his son, Julian, had entered her life to give it a new idea of sense. Two years of bliss and happiness for her, time in which she had forgotten almost all about her agenda. For the first time in ages, she could feel love. Purpose. Happiness, even...She had given birth during these times. At the end of the second year, only months after Caleb's first birthday, Lucas had found his own death; quite untimely too. He had been two years younger than her husband was nowadays. For all that, they hadn't had the time to mourn him. At the time, Phobos had been 12, but his tyrannical grip had already started to be felt around the realm. Meridian was all black, awaiting a terrifying future, which no one had had the power to stop from realization. No one, but the rebellion which her Julian had already started to gather. The rebellion whose future leader she had birthed...

Nerissa jumped in her place, rudely ousted out of her own thoughts and memories, by the purple portal that had opened in the middle of the kitchen. _A purple portal?!_ Nerissa gave it a dirty look. What the hell did those morons from Kandrakar want from her now?! Their precious Will had already managed to somewhat step back on her feet after over a month of trials and tribulations, hadn't she? She was the _true hero_ for resisting the dark side even during dark times. Then why didn't they call her?

_Or perhaps they have_, Nerissa adjured in the end. _Perhaps they want to gather all of us for something. Obnoxious fools._

Eventually, she just crossed through the portal. What else could she do? Whether she liked it or not, she was now obliged to work with these back-stabbing hypocrites from Kandrakar. And if she couldn't annihilate them, it happened to be the second-best option.

The portal closed behind her and she looked around herself. This room she wasn't familiar with. It was a room in the Fortress of Infinity, alright, but which one? And why was it empty?

Nerissa frowned. For a moment, she couldn't seem to wrap her mind around it. Why had she been summoned here? Where were everyone?

Then, as her eyes passed over the white stone walls and the dark marble floor, she happened to notice the silhouette behind one of the gray columns.

"It was about time, Orube. You've been pushing your snout in my footsteps ever since you came to Heatherfield. I was wondering when you'd finally gather enough courage to confront me openly. Is this your little hovel? Of course, it is. Kandrakar wouldn't want to keep one of their pets out of sight."

That reaction caught Orube off guard as she emerged from behind the column and stared at the ex-guardian. Her red suit, the majestic, haughty posture, and smug smile were too unrealistic for the warrior, even after all these weeks. Was it really possible for someone to be as pleased with themselves all the time? So very in love with themselves?! But then she remembered her teacher's words. That was Nerissa. Nerissa was a reflection of all the demonic traits that a woman could possess.

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"- Nerissa winked at her before throwing her head back in a laugh. "Orube, if you're going to just stand there like a statue, then this whole trick with the portal would turn to have been pointless, don't you think?"

"What you call lack of courage, I call time needed to gather intelligence. Evidence against you, sorceress!"-the feline fired back. "I could not allow myself to lay a trap and serve as an iron in anyone's hands before making sure that you are indeed a menace! That's how I was raised to be!"

"Really?"- Nerissa lifted her eyebrows mockingly, calmly placing a hand on her waist. "And were you raised to be so silly and careless too? I've sensed you following me since day one! You think that you've made big discoveries about me, but actually that's just because I haven't intended to hide anything. Tell that to your pathetic Luba, I know she's the one who sent you after me. Tell her that I know she'd give anything to see me suffer again, but these days are over. After years upon years, Himerish has finally decided to get off my case; I've earned it, actually."- she added spitefully. "And your teacher can't do a single thing to change it. A single thing!"

"Don't be so sure in that, Nerissa."

Orube turned around when she heard her teacher enter the premises, but Nerissa barely acknowledged her with a glance.

"Speaking of the dirty kitty."- she mused, unimpressed.

Luba lined up with her student, a dark grimace on her face.

"You're overbearing as usual. You didn't even listen to the introduction which Orube made. She revealed that she has laid a trap for you. A trap which you fell into by crossing through that portal."- her cat-like snout widened in a sinister smile. "Don't you get it, Nerissa? You're not here to receive the Oracle's reprimand. You're here to once and for all pay for your sins. Pay with your life!"

Nerissa's reaction wasn't delayed. After making a dramatic pause of a few moments, she burst out laughing:

"You find all this amusing?"- Luba shook her head with a scoff. "Why am I even shocked, you've never given death any credit or value, that's true. But this time the one left laughing last won't be you. This time you'll be on the other side of the gun-"

"If you think that you of all people have the ability to kill me, then you must really be at a bad place. Mentally, that is."- Nerissa interrupted her with a cold smile. "Cross me and I will send both of you beasts to oblivion effortlessly. We've known each other a long time, Luba, but you have not yet seen the worst of me. I will not have someone as _mediocre_ as you, halter my new life. I give you one last chance to rethink your hollow threats before I personally take your head to his Excellence, your _supreme_ Oracle."

In response, the catwoman laughed in a low tone. Her burning eyes met the spark throwing orbs of her opponent, as she bared her fangs and stated:

"The only hollow think here is your head, Nerissa. Over-confidence will be your undoing again. You haven't even asked yourself yet: Where am I? What is their plan? You're so certain that your cleverer, that you do not even consider the danger, but anyhow. That's perfect! Perfect for me! Because I'm sick and tired of having to suffer the injustice of witnessing you being given new chances and opportunists. New chances which you've never deserved!"

"I know exactly where I am, of course I'm in Kandrakar, your forever shutter!"-the ex-guardian exclaimed venomously. " You've been here for ages, practically having wasted all your years on serving your golden calf, Himerish, but in vain, of course! In vain, because even after all that time, you're still that pathetic, insolent creature that I remember. You've never been anything different than an also-ran. Even though you've served Kandrakar longer, he still preferred Halinor over you, didn't he?!"

Luba listened, tightening her fist in fury. Nerissa didn't even know it yet, but she was using the most suitable insults against her. She was such a darned bitch, but soon...Soon she was going to be history. The Basilidian swore to that.

_I will do what your friends could not execute to an end, Nerissa Crossnic. They couldn't erase the evil which you are, because there were still tinges of love for you left in their hearts. But I... I've never had anything but hate for you!_

"- and who are you, pray tell, to determine whether I deserve new chances or not?! Luba, you're an insignificant pawn whose sole task is to be a playground monitor for the Aurameeres. And let's face it, you are quite bad at your job. If it wasn't for the mystic Aurameeres' property to never be taken away by force, the guardians would've lost their powers numerous times during the big war from ten years ago and not only. You must agree with one- you're not only a wretch, you're a poor keeper too!"

"SHUT UP!"- Luba roared. She was throwing mad looks at the other woman at this point, possessed by the old affront and the bitterness which she had carried for so long. No, Nerissa's taunts definitely didn't help with all that, they only made it worse. She deserved to die, because she was not a good person. How had she ever become a guardian over her?! "You're in Kandrakar, but do you know which part of Kandrakar, witch? You're in the parlor of the Tower of Mists, where all magic relinquishes. Your magic didn't enter that portal with you. Your biggest pride and strength! You're dependent on my will now."

In a swift second, all color left the ex-guardian's face as she tried to conjure a charge in her palms. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. The parlor to the darned tower was magically insulated. _Witty..._ What was that pathetic creature thinking of doing with her?!

"All your mistakes, you never truly felt remorse for any of them. You've never deserved all that you had; all that you have."- Luba shook her head as Nerissa took an involuntary step back. "You killed your teammate and pushed your guardians to the edge, and what of it? You never even did your full time on Thanos. You found a way to escape without time and continued your evil! Your curse! And then what? After you tried to conquer the entire Universe, you got amnesty just because you suddenly decided you could play the role of a doting mother?!"- Luba spat at that. "No. I do _not_ agree. It wasn't fair one bit, but you've never been all that big on fairness, have you? You have been playing roles, Nerissa. You've been playing roles for far too long."

Nerissa glared back at her, but her confidence was diminished and so was her hauteur. Without het magic, she didn't stand much of a chance to the warriors. And even though she didn't exactly feel fear, she felt bitter. Bitter dissatisfaction for the situation she had got into and the unfold of events...

"You won't do a thing, Luba. I know you."- she averred in a low, dark voice. "Not a thing behind your dear Oracle's back. I know all of you so very well-"

Luba cocked an eyebrow and then started laughing hysterically. Her laugh seemed to make even Orube, who stood by silently, uncomfortable. Nerissa frowned:

"Caw as much as you want, doormat. We both know that you're just a bluff!"- and she coldly crossed her arms on her chest. "Act behind Himerish's back and be thrown out of here forever. He won't spare you if you intervene in fate's ways."

"Interesting, he always seems to spare _you_! What makes you so special?!"- Luba hissed in her face and grabbed a hold of her hair at the back of her head. Nerissa blinked and outrage and harshly pushed her away.

"Don't you dare touch me!"

"As much as I hate to touch someone as dirty and twisted as you, I have no other choice."- Luba shook her head hatefully. "You have to pay, hag."

Insulted, Nerissa, who despised being called that, shoved her index finger in the Basilidian's face with an infuriated scoff:

"Heey-"

"Enough!"

The keeper of the Aurameeres had met her index finger with her own, pushing it away with a burning look on her face. A burning look of intolerance. Intolerance for that darned traitress, who dared act up even now.

"What's the reason."- was all which the former guardian could say before Luba knocked her to the ground.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You know what I'm talking about! What's your personal problem with me? The reason for your attempts to take revenge on me. As far as I can remember I've never done anything in particular to you. I even left you out of the mini veil which served as a shutter for the _main_ elders, for months."- she couldn't stop the gloating emerge in her voice at that. Luba scoffed.

"Hah! You must be ridiculing me, right? Perhaps breaking the council and nearly _destroying_ the fortress is not a reason to explain my hate for you well enough? Or the fact that you and your little friend, the traitor Halinor, did all that under my nose, playing me for a fool in the midst of that dire battle... Very well then, let us add some more reasons by saying it this way: you took something which was supposed to be mine. Then, when your incompetence showed and you lost it, your friend Cassidy got it. But never I. I was never truly considered capable, even though I would've done much better than all of you! All of you lacked the heart of a true warrior!"

Nerissa, who had found herself on the floor, looked up with something between shock and ridicule. The ridicule soon took precedence:

"I beg to differ!? You thought that _you_ could be a guardian? And how the hell is it my fault that never happened? I didn't choose to carry Xin Jing's essence in me, the Heart chose me for it, you idiot! Just like it did the others!"

Luba ignored that sentence and turned her back on her. The room started unfolding with one big transparent box-shaped figure coming into view. Nerissa knew the Tower of Mists had many properties. She just didn't know what this specific place was supposed to do...until it hit her.

"Yes, the Heart did choose you, but you didn't deserve any of the chances which you got after your very first failure. At this point every new mistake that you get forgiven for is a mockery."

Nerissa started laughing again, as if to annoy her. And it worked. Luba turned around and gave her a side glare as the ex-guardian's laugh kept going higher and lower, and vice versa, almost like a song. As if she was actually finding a decent dose of amusement in the entire situation. _Nutjob_. She had a beautiful laugh. Beautiful voice, beautiful face, beautiful everything and yet such an _ugly soul_, Luba decided and bared her fangs. She hated this terrible woman:

"Would you stop chortling, insolent witch? This is your funeral ritual! Have some respect for yourself, since no one else is here to mourn you."

Nerissa stood up and threw her hair aside. A part of her confidence was back in her gaze:

"I don't plan on dying for the sake of your jealousy, Luba. You're a coward for tricking me here, where I can't use my powers, but I do not blame you. After all, if you were to face me in normal surroundings, you wouldn't even get to finish your lousy little speech!"

Luba shook her head again, her ears perking up in tact with her overflowing anger:

"Oh, no. I'm not a coward. I shall give you a chance to defend yourself; I never said that I wouldn't."

The catwoman then gestured at her student with a coy smile.

"You know how to hold a sword, don't you, Nerissa? You must know. All the years which you spent on Meridian, instead of inside your cell, should have given you different types of experience. I come from a planet where everyone learns to be a decent and proud warrior, hence I cannot allow myself to simply end you like you'd do. I will defeat you in a noble sword fight and then vanquish you. Pick your weapon, be my guest."

Nerissa lowered her gaze to the swords which Orube had brought in. It first occurred to her to grab one of them and stab the fool in the chest before she could react. But it would be of no use, Orube would still be here to stop her from escaping...besides, Luba would probably be able to stop her herself. Nerissa knew that her capabilities in sword fighting were surely not as advanced as those of the two Basilidians. Then she considered piercing Orube instead, but that was also turned down by her brain. She had to do something smarter, but what...

Then, by chance, she happened to meet the yellow eyes of the younger feline-creature. Was she...was she giving her a sign?! Nerissa frowned and quickly looked down at the swords, as suggested by Orube's gaze. There, between the handgrips of the two weapons. Was that what she thought it was...Yes...

Nerissa cautiously stole another glimpse of the young warrior's face. Orube seemed to nod in response. All the time spent in Resadora's herb room... she knew. She couldn't mistake swami valerian when she saw it. The question was why? Why would Orube be helping her upon tricking her to come here in the first place? Then her eyes moved back to the space that had expanded behind Luba and the ethereal shield which she had set. A shield or much rather a cage for her...Nerissa knew much about these ethereal shields and their purposes- they were used to trap magic users and disable their escape options.

In the end, she decided that wasting the opportunity was pointless and just took advantage. She demonstratively threw both swords at the other end of the room, secretly taking the leaf between her fingers...

For a swift second, Luba looked almost shocked by her action. But then her wide-eyed stare morphed into a glower:

"What do you think you're do- "

"You know not what I'm still capable of. You're not going to separate me from those who love me again!"- Nerissa bared her teeth and threw the swami valerian, which she had powdered between her fingers, in Luba's face. "I've been a prisoner to Kandrakar's will already. _No_. Never again!"

The herb instantly affected the feline nature of the keeper by blinding her eyes. Luba let out a yelp, but her enemy had already taken advantage; she pushed her right in the ethereal shield, trapping her in her own trap.

Not even leaving herself time to gloat, Nerissa attempted to flee the darned room which restricted her magic, but Orube stopped her by getting in her way.

"What, you sold your teacher for the chance to take me down yourself? Please."- Nerissa began mockingly, putting her hands on her waist. "Don't even think about it, fleaball. If you do something like that, your dear friends won't ever forgive you. W.I.T.C.H and I do seem to be having some...relations lately. My abduction and every other violation you make, you will be held accountable for. Have that in mind."

"You thinking that I did anything for you, is preposterous. But on the other hand, it does go so fluently with your self-absorbed, pointlessly smug persona."- Orube shook her head sternly. "You have to be the most narcissistic, horrendous female I've ever encountered."

"Oh, I've definitely heard worse ones than that. If that's all, do something useful for yourself and go get a hobby."- Nerissa retorted coldly. "I don't feel like looking at your whiskers anymore. Scat!"

"You're going nowhere."- the warrior averred icily. "I suggest you stop being disrespectful at once, or else I will humble you down myself. The fact that I saved you from my teacher's wraith doesn't mean that I care about you. In fact, I did it for her. I don't want her bitterness to cost her with another big loss because of you. I knew you're vile from the tales I've heard about you, but I had no idea that you were a coward, also."

"_A coward_?"- the ex-guardian repeated. "You're the ones who tricked me to a place where I can't defend myself. You know, Orube, you might look feline, but you're actually rats! Both of you!"

"And you're the one who's nothing without her magic. Magic which you've gained in dishonorable ways. You should've seen yourself. You tried to keep up with the image of that confident leader, who stormed the Forbidden Wing of Kandrakar... Yes, I followed you that day. Next time you feel like breaking in a certain place, wear less perfume. I easily followed you all the way from Heatherfield thanks to that. Nevertheless, you tried to keep up with that image today. The image of the omnipotent Queen of Spades, but you failed, because you're no near as confident and dangerous without your powers. You rely solely on magic and stolen Hearts to make room for your obnoxious attitude, which no one would put up with in a different case scenario. One in which you don't possess the lethal power of the head element."- Orube pointed at her fearlessly, making her index finger the only target of the green eyes. "I think you should get to know humility and respect for others before you end up at the other side once more. Every medal has two sides. Every situation! My teacher Luba won't be the one to punish you, but some day, someone will. You should be grateful to every single star in the sky, for you have the opportunity to live this new life, even after all your crimes and mistakes from the past. Exude _gratitude_, not sheer arrogance. At your age, it's a shame not be aware of all that."

A dangerous shadow passed over Nerissa's face at that line, but she didn't say anything in response. She couldn't even if she wanted to, in the next minutes the guardians were already there-

"Orube?"- Taranee looked around herself with concern, but relaxed when she saw Luba disarmed.

"Everything's under control."- the young Basidilian confirmed with a meek smile, and Nerissa turned her attention to the five women, who had just appeared. She narrowed her eyes. So, they had known about this...

"The façade of the warrior hides a gentle soul. Thanks, Orube."- Will smiled at their old friend. "You did the right thing."

"Yeah, the moment you told us the truth about Luba's past, we knew better than to wait with hands in our pockets."- Hay Lin said. "We knew that we have to save both her and Nerissa from their past demons."

"True. How did you like that one surprise, Prissy?"- Irma exclaimed deviously, drawing the attention of ex-guardian, who stood aside statically, on herself. "Did you even suspect that Luba has these scores to settle with you? I think that you have to give us credit this time, we were ahead of you and we saved you. We're good at this, huh?"- she winked at her, knowing that would infuriate her.

"Irma, that's about enough."- Will said and cautiously turned her gaze to Nerissa. "Nerissa, Orube told us about your endeavors in the Forbidden Wing on the day when you sent us on that fake mission to talk to the Mage's brother. We've known that Luba has a revenge plan in store for you ever since, and we worked on forestalling an unnecessary ugly situation."

"Yeah, so even if you choose to be umbrageous again-"

"Like you were when Ari nearly kicked your ass-"

"Irma, silence."

Taranee waited to see the Latina calm down, before finishing what she had begun saying:

"...it was actually for the better good of both of you. We have bigger problems and we'd appreciate if you concentrated on them instead of some old petty conflicts. No offense, Luba. What you've been experiencing is surely too much to stomach and handle-"

"- but that doesn't give you the right to take law and fate into your own hands. What you tried to do was wrong."- Cornelia finished, glowering at the ethereal shield.

"To sum it all up, we would like what happened here today to be forgiven and forgotten by both parties."- Hay Lin announced, moving her eyes between Luba and the ex-guardian, who snorted under her nose.

"Orube, you betrayed me. You betrayed me for the guardians?!"

"I did not betray you, teacher. I did this for you!"- the younger feline shook her head, kneeling close to her teacher's cage. "The pain of your old wounds has been clouding your judgment and locking your wisdom under an illusory lid. What you wanted done would've resulted badly for you, and I don't want you to suffer more than you have already."

Luba looked down, but said nothing more. The guardians focused their expectant gazes on Nerissa again:

"You cannot be serious."- the brunette rolled her eyes.

"Come on, if you and Kadma could forgive each other, then the same could happen with Luba."- Irma urged her. "C'mon, babe, don't make me be a kindergarten teacher for you!"

"You tend to forget that me and Kadma have always been friends, and even when we fought, past emotions and memories connected us. The case with her, however, is totally different. Luba has never been nothing but a pest and, as we learned today, a bitter jealous fool!"- Nerissa narrowed her eyelids at Luba. "All my life she has been wishing me ill, because the Heart chose me and not her! How is that forgivable? I do not care what happens with her, I won't tell the Oracle like she would do, but don't ask of me to move on with her!"

"You promise you won't tell the Oracle?"- Irma asked distrustfully.

"Of course! If you're comfortable with such a _dog in the manger_ keeping your Aurameeres, then so be it! After all, _you're the guardians_."

"No, you'll have to swear on that. You'll also have to swear that you won't seek ways to punish her for her attempt to take revenge on you. Don't you see what this is becoming, Nerissa?"- Will stepped forward, locking eyes with her predecessor. "A vicious cycle. And for what? It's ridiculous. You have to grow, leave your goddamn ego aside for just a minute and focus on what's truly important!"

"I'm doing that, but people never seem to leave me at peace with what's important for me!"- Nerissa hissed. "She dragged me here, she's the one seeking revenge for her unfulfilled dreams! She's weak! I've paid my dues and suffered each and every failed dream of mine in silence and loneliness, I swallowed down every bitter insult and punishment, and moved on for my son! I did all that, didn't I? Then why should I be forgiven again, and why should I forgive people for being bad losers?!"

"Because that's what it's like to be a selfless person!"- Taranee exclaimed. "Selflessness is a quality which you really need to learn. You have to acknowledge more than your own pain and sacrifices. I know that you once dreamt of ending all war and conflict in the Universe. Now that you know that's impossible, grow by showing the world that you can drop all grudges towards those who have wronged you. Be magnanimous!"

Nerissa blinked in outrage, but her contra-arguments seemed to have come to an end. Luba had already come to agree with what she heard and lowered her head in shame.

"After what she said to me-"- Nerissa clenched her teeth at Orube, who stood by her teacher's cage, gently touching it.

"What she said to you was pretty much the same, Nerissa. Don't take it as a grave insult."- Hay Lin sighed. "I know that you can do the right thing if you decide to. I know that you can understand why it's better for everyone, including for you, if you and Luba burry the hatches for good."

"And sure she did a ton of shit over the last months, but think about what it has felt like for her."- Irma said. "Can't you at least take mercy on those who have only this Fortress and their position in it?"

"Luba's dream to be a guardian never came true, while people like me, who've never even wished for magic in the first place, get to be guardians. That only comes to show that it's now always up to us. Luba, do you now understand that Nerissa played no part in what happened to you."- Cornelia turned to the keeper. "And the chances which she received in her life came to her exactly like the Heart did. They chose her. You have to be above petty injustice if you wish to remain a worthy ally to the good. It's sometimes way harder said than done, but it's true. Some things are bigger than us and we can't change that."

"Like the better good of the Universe, for example."- Will added. "Don't you see? We're all equally as important for that. We have to work together, not fight each other. All of us, who've chosen to stay on the side of the light, are a team."

Luba looked up, full of resignation and understanding. She was concordant with the statement:

"I've never been prouder to see such amazing growth of wisdom and character in you, guardians. Today you've taught even me a lesson. You taught me that being a true ambassador of the Fortress in the Heart of Infinity means that we must not forget our initial goals. You're all so young, yet again, you've proven to be worthy guardians."- Luba brought her hands together in a prayer pose. "I apologize for my actions. And Nerissa, I want to make that step and apologize to you too."

Nerissa lifted her head in disbelief. The corners of her eyelids were beginning to sting as the storm of different emotions roamed in her.

"I'm older than you. I've seen you both young and old, once you were just like these girls. Even younger...I tend to forget what that means. I've allowed my own unfulfillments cloud my judgment and have anger conquer me. I regret being so weak and selfish."

She let her green eyes pass on everyone present in the premises of the room, blown away by what she had lived to see.

So many words echoed in her ears as she thought on what Luba had just said. Was she sincere? It didn't matter...

\- _...the most narcissistic female I've ever encountered..._

_\- ...Man, she's such a cheater!_

_\- ...So, that's it. That's how you survived the trauma; not by knowing that it will be alright, but by knowing that there is no other choice!_

_\- ...Yeah, you're mother of the year..._

_\- ...New chances and opportunists. New chances with you've never deserved!_

Many of these words she had heard about herself years ago, but they still came back to her. The spiteful remarks which people had had for her, in moments of weakness, gloating or defeat. In moments when she had dominated them and brought them pain... But their pain couldn't match hers at the time. No... But perhaps that was just_ narcissistic_ to think again. She'd never know, neither did she care to... Even some of her own words and most ruthless actions came back in vivid flashbacks...

All these images that attacked her at once meant to say something, to prove something, but they were just painful reminders to her. Painful reminders of the past, which she'd never regret, in spite of all the hurt it had costed her with...

_I've paid my dues and suffered each and every failed dream of mine... swallowed down every bitter insult and punishment and moved on for my son!...Only you can make my vision complete. My dear boy... My son..._

_My son..._Nerissa came back to her senses and shook off of the overwhelming words that had attacked her. None of them mattered. She had chosen to focus on the only word that gave her life a complete shape:

"Likewise, Luba. Absolve me of all wrong I've done and know that not being chosen by the Heart might have actually been good fortune for you. Your position as keeper of the Aurameeres may have had you dodge a bullet. You'll never know of the tremendous burden which very few can carry on their shoulders long."

Taranee and Irma exchanged meaningful glances. Will, however, just looked at her. She could relate to what Nerissa was saying, and it was scary.

"A burden it is for sure, yet you never gave up on it. Why?"

The ex-guardian shook her head and wistfully wrapped her fingers around the chain of the Heart which Will had just used to break the ethereal cage.

"Once it chooses you, it starts to beat intact with your own heart. Every beat it takes away from you makes you feel this appalling sensation of a void. An endless void in which you start to fall, unable to live without the Heart on you own heart."

"The two always inosculate in each other."- the redhead finished, meeting her predecessor's eyes. "You feel every pain and worry, you start to think with one mind. You hear the thoughts of the Heart and it hears yours..."

"Yes, but not anymore."- the brunette shook her head. "It's a part of your heart now. To me, its voice is so faint, I barely ever feel the same connection, even if it's is still there. It is, but it's fatigue and distant."

"And the void?"- Will wanted to know.

"I no longer lose my balance in it."

"How?"

"It's now filled, that's how."- Nerissa replied with a smile and Will just nodded through tears; so, there was always hope. Now she knew that there was always hope and there would still be...even for her. "My son's love was the first thing to forever free me of the demanding need to have my ripped-out heart back. Because my actual heart beats for him now. That's the true power of the heart of a mother. It heals even the deepest wounds and helps you move on. Move on for the hearts yours beats for."

* * *

_**Midgale, 4:35 PM**_

The window of the black jeep went down as a disguised Tony Vandom approached it with two tall cardboard coffee cups.

"Well?"

"Well yourself, Susie- Q. Here, hold these. I spoke to our man. Not a trace from her."

"I told you not to call me that, _Ryan_!"

"And I told you not to call with that stupid name-"

"Get in the car, we're leaving! And don't forget that someone might be watching or following us, you drone!"- Susan hissed and fixed her sunglasses on her nose.

"Please, nobody cares for who you meet and what you do. Nobody is going to follow you around in case you get in touch with me, especially now that Tom Lair is back in Heahterfield."- Tony said smugly, putting on his seatbelt reluctantly. She knew he loves fast cars; that's why she had insisted on driving. His ex-wife was such a tease. "And Tom Lair knows just how bad our divorce ended. Over the years, you've publicly shown everyone the big amount of dislike which you have for me. Nobody will ever consider the possibility of us being in cahoots. Don't worry your pretty little head-"

"You're so unreflecting. You forget that Anna saw you."- Susan growled under her breath, taking a sharp left turn. "And you can be sure that she won't hide such a thing from her husband for long. You're still a suspect of a murder case, Tony-"

"I doubt that she will."- he shook his head. "I think that she can put herself in our place and she understands. Especially since you said that the last time she stood by your side, when Serena's fake pregnancy was discovered."

"Last time was different. Last time I was on the right tracks, and she knew it. Now my position is moot. I don't want to take chances, Tony. We're running out of time. If we don't get to that bitch before the next hearing-"

"Even if we don't, we'll just postpone!"- her ex-husband waved his hand. "What's the big deal? Her stupid brother screwed her up big time. I still can't believe it, he must have been heavily drugged or something... Her last trump card was destroyed. With the new information, she'll wish that the court accepts that dickhead Phelps's death to have been an accident. She is in our hands now. Justice will be served, Susie- Q, loose the scowl-"

"That's not enough and you know it! I want to punish her for what she did to Will's baby."- Susan averred icily. "She deserves only the worst"

"Of course, we will! She will be punished! She'll collect all the blame, and she will rot in jail, what better payback than that?"

"We've already discussed this, she's not going to make it to court! She's going to be ended. _Terminally_!"- Susan interrupted, shocking him.

"You want to kill her?!"- Tony exclaimed as they sped off. They were already at an open road. The weather was beginning to gloom again. "Susan, are you listening to yourself?! That's insane, what's the point? We'll throw her in jail where she belongs, clearing our name. How is that supposed to happen if she dies beforehand?! Nobody will believe us-"

"You mean clear your name?! Is that what you care about, because I don't!"- his ex-wife yelled. "You said that you didn't care what happens to you! You said that you'd anything to punish the monster who killed our unborn grandchild! What happened now, Tony? Now you care about whether you'll go to jail or not, huh?"

Tony was having a hard time keeping with the novelties and her anger which were hitting him one after another. Susan was surely beside herself and in that state, his words were doomed to remain unheard, even if he could find the right ones:

"I...I said it and I mean it, Susan, but not like that. No, don't take this as something for myself, I'm trying to talk you out of this for your own sake- "

"This is not about us, it's about Will! That bitch hurt our daughter, Tony, grow a pair! Typical for you! My own sake, please!"

He put his hand on her lap and started talking in the softest voice he was capable of:

"I have a pair which you're quite familiar with, silly..."

"Zip it!"

"...I don't want you to commit a murder and ruin your life, Susie. I care about our future-"

"Oh, you thought that I'll do it? You brought that hooker into our lives, you're gonna get her out! She hurt us all, she stole, she shot, she poisoned; I've had enough of her! You'll have to take one down for me and Will, Tony. You'll have to!"

"Susan!"- he was beginning to get truly angry by that point. Was she drunk?! "You're talking nonsense! Are you seriously asking of me to commit a murder?!"

"Yes, I am!"- Susan fumed back. "You owe this to us! What's your fear with that, it won't be the first body you hide in a _freezer_!"

Tony pulled back in his seat, taken aback by her outburst.

"Your maternal affection has blinded you again! You're crazy! I did that for you, you know that I didn't kill Phelps, how can you mock me when that man harassed you and- "

Their scandal had taken the better of both of them by now. Susan, who was hardly paying attention to the road, turned to Tony again, and screamed:

"Just like Serena did, yet she has succeeded, unlike him! Serena, who you brought into our lives, has been trying to destroy us ever since you decided to leave her! How is that fair, I ask?! How was it fair for Will to suffer a miscarriage because of your crazy whore?! TAKE SOME FUCKING RESPONCIBILITY!"

"SHUT UP!"- he yelled back. "Would you ask the same of your dearest Collins? No, of course you wouldn't! Tony's the yes-man and the punching bag as per usual, Tony has to take shit tone of damage for his sinless ex-wife!"

"You broke this family apart!"- Susan screamed, hitting the steering wheel like crazy. "You! You made us believe that you have died! Do not drag Dean into this, he has absolutely no responsibility to take for YOUR MISTAKES!"

Tony suppressed the desire to hit her. No, she wouldn't let him hear the end of it, if he did. He just fell silent and for a whole minute, the entire car was silent too.

"Is that all you had to say?!"- Susan started barking again, throwing her sunglasses on the backseat. "Typical for you, fine! _Fine!_ Don't do anything. Why do I expect any different from you, anyway? I'll be the one looking out for our daughter, just like always- "

"You know what, Susan, you just made me remember something, thank you!"

"What are you talking about?"

"You reminded me just why life with you was unbearable and why I didn't want to change again. When you decided to end our marriage-"

But he couldn't finish, because suddenly the car jumped and waggled. The woman turned the wheel with a new squeal, as she somehow managed not to go off the road. Then they stopped in the bushes; they had just run something over.

"Now what have you done?!"- Tony exclaimed as they got out of the vehicle at the same time. "I told you I should drive! You're a ball of nerves, you need to calm down before you do something stupid. Right now, you're emotionally labile and that's why you talk and do nonsense. Had we run over someone, you would've wanted me to take the blame for that too, wouldn't you? "

"You know what, Tony Vandom? Our teamwork is over!"- Susan announced and abruptly opened the door of the car again. "Go fuck yourself! I'll get even for our daughter on my own!"

"Just where will you go, all your tires are flat!"- her ex-husband growled, kneeling down to the level of the tires. "It's crazy, as if you've just gone through a _line of spikes_ of some sort- "

"What?! Let me see-"

Tony was right. But how had she managed to get all her tires flat at once? Unless they had really went through a chain of spikes, but what would a chain of spikes be doing at the middle of the road leading to the highway?

She got next to him, but she couldn't finish her sentence. Someone stroke him down, and Tony fell to the ground. Susan turned around and screamed, but it was of no use. To her absolute shock, five men with dark ski masks and baseball bats circled them. Two of them grabbed a hold of Tony, who was close to losing consciousness. The other two grabbed her, while the fifth one busied himself with the car.

"No! NO!"- Susan screamed and fought with them, but one of her abductors placed a wet cloth to her nose and mouth, stopping the words in her closing throat. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head...They had been ambushed. Someone had purposely sabotaged the tires. Someone had just _kidnapped_ both of them.

The last thing which the afflicted mother saw before fainting was the lid of the truck she had just been thrown in.

* * *

**A/N: Had to wrap up Luba's storyline, but that won't be the last we see of Orube. :) I pubslished this chapter faster, because I'm excited about chapter 33, which is going to be a collab of sorts. Stay tuned!**


	33. Audience on Ero

_**Chapter 33: Audience on**__** Ero**_

_"Long ago, a sporadic Meridian King had three children. Since only the oldest daughter could inherit the throne, there used to be the custom that the firstborn son is killed and any other daughters get married off to other royals. Since this king loved all his children equally, he sent the son and younger daughter away. The boy came to Ero, and founded this great kingdom._"

* * *

**Disclaimer: This is a special crossover chapter written in collaboration with Madam Ioanah, here, on FanFiction. Her stories (for example: The Prince's Frozen Heart), about the past of the Escanors and their extended family, I find fantastic, and I think that you wouldn't be wrong if you checked them out for yourselves. ;) The kingdom of Ero and her original character, Queen Seras, will be featured in the longest scene, in the longest chapter "The Dark Descendant" has had so far! Enjoy!**

_**Meridian, 6:05 AM**_

"Elyon. Elyon, wake up, it's just a nightmare, sweetie, wake up! Elyon!"

_Blackness and fear. Loneliness. Destruction. Bare trees. Saddened, Meridian burned in golden flames, as her subjects fell as if struck by invisible lightnings, one after another, as though a black catastrophe, clad in golden colors, sucked all the life out of their bodies..._

Elyon shot straight up in the big bed, pressing the satin covers against her chest. Her breathing was rapid and she was drenched in cold sweat. She needed a whole entire minute to regulate her hectic heartbeats before she could focus her attention on her adoptive mother's worried face:

"I-I...What time is it?"- the Queen asked distractedly. "I have to get ready, Andan is going to wait for me- "

"Elyon, dear, wait a second. It's early."- Miriadel assured her, wrapping her fingers around her wrist and gently nudging her to remain in bed for a few more minutes. "It's only six a clock, don't fret. Tell me, is everything alright? You had a nightmare, didn't you? Would you like to talk about it?"

Elyon didn't reply. She shivered in her cold nightclothes, remembering the vivid dream she had just had. Her night terror. Such a truly vivid and horrifying one it had been. With all the stress in her life, the young Queen was used to the occasional nightmares every now and then, but this one had been something else. This one had almost made her heart stop...

"Nagadir, bring fresh water and breakfast for the Queen. What are you waiting for?"- Miriadel turned her attention to the royal servant, having seen that Elyon needs time to gather her thoughts.

Nagadir nodded obediently, heading for the kitchens. Miriadel watched her leave and then turned her attention to her daughter once again:

"Tell me what's torturing you, dear. Was it another nightmare about Galgheita? She'll recover, Elyon, I know it. In fact, your father and I spoke to a new priest the other day. He believes that together you can find a way to wake her up- "

"No, mom, it's not that."- Elyon shook her head tiredly, her straw-colored hair getting all around her. "I mean...I'll be more than glad to have someone finally help with that for real. If that priest has ways to achieve it...But, mom, my nightmare wasn't about Galgheita."

"Then?"

Elyon hesitated. Then she turned her fear-filled eyes to her mother:

"Mom...I saw terrible things, mom. I saw my kingdom _perishing_. It was so real..."- she whispered, ready to burst into tears any minute now. "So very real..."

The Army Captain's eyes went wide and then small again. She just blinked at what she had just heard. She knew that her daughter had the desperate need to be comforted, yet she seemed to face hardships in finding strength for herself. This nightmare disturbed even her, more than it should've, but she had her reasons...

"Elyon...It's. j-just a bad dream. A nightmare. It has nothing to do with reality, don't worry. Put this on and come with me."

"Where?"

Miriadel didn't answer, she just kept leading her. Elyon blinked in perplexity, having had the time to just throw a cloak over her nightwear and a pair of shoes. Her adoptive mother was obviously in a haste to do something.

"Miriadel?"- Alborn met them in the corridor in front of the Queen's chambers and started following them, because his wife didn't stop. What was the matter with her? Their daughter looked just as confused as him. "Miriadel, what's happening?!"

"Nothing... Nothing, her Majesty had a nightmare...She should complete a ritual to get it off her mind."- she explained, cautiously meeting her husband's gaze.

"A ritual?"- Elyon blinked. "What..."

"Yes, dear. You know of the ritual we do to cast our nightmares away on Meridian. We're going to go to one of the wells in the royal yards and have you mumble it down while pouring a bucket of water back in. They say that voicing your fears and night terrors above falling water, before noon time, is sure to prevent any part of them from realization."

Elyon opened her mouth and then closed it again. Was this what her mother was so impatient to do?

"Miriadel, please! Since when are you into these kinds of nonsense."- Alborn exclaimed, obviously sharing his daughter's bafflement. "Nightmares are just projections of our fears-"

"I'm not saying anything different, dear."- his wife interrupted him in an odd tone. "I'm just saying that this will help bring Elyon some peace of mind for the day that lies ahead. It's just a little spiritual practice, it won't hurt a thing..."

"Good, dear, but still..."- the man wasn't quite ready to accept the suggestions as a sensible one. "Couldn't that have waited until after her Majesty gets ready and eats-"

"I'll do it."- Elyon announced and gave her parents a weak smile." I'll do this now, then I'll get my morning activities done and all that. I'm meeting Andan soon, I don't want to waste time."

"Alright, honey."

The morning was cold and the sun was just rising above the horizons when Elyon and her adoptive parents reached the inward yard that offered a few wells to choose from. Miriadel and her husband remained under the roofs, while their daughter got ready to go ahead and complete the morning ritual that was supposed to free her of the terror of the nightmare.

"And, Elyon, remember. Once you voice your night terror over the falling water, you shouldn't talk about it again."- her mother reminded her. "It's how the ritual works best, alright? It means that yours shouldn't discuss it with Andan or anyone else till the sun sets..."

Alborn looked at his wife in disbelief as she was saying that, but Elyon nodded with another smile and then walked towards one of the wells, leaving them alone.

Miriadel watched her walk away with arms folded on her chest and a few concerned mumblings under her breath...

"Hey. Look at me. What's wrong?"- her husband guided her face towards his. "Why do you look so spooked? What did Elyon dream about-"

"I fear that she had no ordinary nightmare, Alborn."- Miriadel said seriously, making him raise both eyebrows.

"Why?"

"She described it to me. And her fear...her fear was so great. Alborn; 24 years ago, her mother had a similar dream. She saw her kingdom dying in the embrace of black thorns and dreadful misery, and then, just a few months later, Phobos succeeded in usurping the throne..."

"How do you know that."- Alborn furrowed his brows. The two of them had both been relatively new to the royal court at that time, they hadn't been close to the late Queen. "The nightmare part, I mean-"

"Queen Weira and her closest ones had an old maid, who they trusted openly. She told me about this after Phobos took over the kingdom all these years ago. She told me that the Queen always foresees her kingdom's doom..."

"Is this maid you're talking about that...that Lychinda, the one who had taken care of Queen Weira's _grandmother_?!"- Alborn tried to remember. "Miriadel, that woman was more ancient that time...are you sure that you have to believe her senile talks? Elyon is under a lot of stress, because of her wicked brother and the wedding which she was skeptic about from the beginning. She needs time and peace and we need to provide it to her by being realists-"

"Alborn, don't miss my point! Since I still remember this story after so many years, then it must be profoundly impacting. Don't you agree? Even if there's just a pinch of truthfulness to Lychinda's story-"

"You fear that the Light of Meridian might have prophetic dreams. OK, good, but why now?"- her husband asked. "Everything's under control. The tyrant and the crazed princess are prisoners. Arkhanta no longer harbor grudges against us. What could possibly issue threats to Meridian?"

Miriadel's gaze flowed into the distance. She shook her head in a disquieted manner.

"That's what frightens me. The abeyance. You know that the invisible enemy is the most dangerous enemy one can have."- she said in a low voice. "I am sick of shadows lurking around our daughter with evil intentions and poisonous trump cards...We have to be ready for everything, Alborn-"

"We will. Don't worry; we will keep our eyes open."- the man nodded and placed his hands on her tense shoulders. "We'll have Aldarn check on the prisoners at Gray Woods. We will have the army train harder and we will ask the Mage to-"

"No."- Miriadel cut him off. "Nobody should learn of this just yet. Especially not _she_. I don't think that she knows the story of Weira's fated nightmare. And that must remain so!"

"But why-"- Alborn couldn't wrap his mind around it. Miriadel looked around herself and then at him. Sternly. How could he not be getting it?!

"Because I don't trust Nerissa enough. It is a ten to one chance that exactly she's the evil which Elyon sensed in her dream. Nerissa hates us and she certainly hates Elyon. She's a deranged and dangerous woman, who already benefits enough from the fact that Galgheita is in that state...Galgheita used to be a permanent protection for our daughter, but now that she's not here, Nerissa has had all chances to manipulate and take advantage of Elyon's youth!...What if she betrays the Queen and tries to get to ultimate power here, on Meridian?"- her eyes shone like two coals. Miriadel shook her head again: "No, Alborn. We do not want to give her any ideas. Nor precedence."

Her husband opened his mouth to say something, but at the sight of the captain's face, he gave it up and nodded instead. A part of him could make sense of her, at first hearing, paranoid words...

"We have to be very careful. "- Мiriadel murmured. "Even the walls have ears; Nerissa has people who have long stood on her side. We can't take any risks."

"And the guardians?"

"That's also a tricky one...Alborn, I realize that my decision might come off as paranoid and headlong, but I'm scared...I've seen how the sorceress behaves and does with Elyon. She'll push her off the throne in a split second if she gets the chance to...As long as we can handle the situation without the guardians' interference, we will... If anything starts to go out of control, we'll tell them, but not now, please- "

"Alright, Miriadel, we will do as you wish."- Alborn was quick to say. His wife smiled weakly as he patted her shoulder. "You're her mother; you know what's best for her."

"Thanks dear- "

As the couple went in each other's arms, amid the columns of the outbuilding, they didn't notice the male shadow that hid behind one transverse wall. The shadow of a man, that had just eavesdropped on their conversation and was now off to delate it...

* * *

Heatherfield from an airplane view... The tall buildings in the city center and the coast, bathed in the colors of the rising sun. The big bridges and the industrial zone in the distance. The wide streets and narrower lanes that connect to them...The city wakes up on a cold Saturday day.

In one of the ace residential neighborhoods, in the big family house of Cornelia Hale, the blonde guardian was up unusually early. That was so, because she was about to take a flight. A flight linked to an unexpected, but golden opportunity, which she couldn't miss on.

Cornelia knew that it was most probably not the best time to leave Heatherfield and her friends in the midst of all their problems, but she had to be selfish. Otherwise she'd never have a career of her own...

The beautiful young woman went through the pockets of her skinny jeans and then through the compartments of her Valentino bag. Her phone, documents and wallet were all here. _What else, what else..._

"Stop fidgeting already, you're all set to go."- Caleb, who had just come from upstairs carrying his fiancé's two large suitcases, laughed. "You'll be fine, Cornelia, it's just four days."

"I'm not worried about myself; I'm worried about you and Killian."- she retorted. "You'll manage, I guess. But it's the first time I'm leaving my son's side. I don't know whether he's old enough to be without me even for four days...Actually, I do, he is so not! Maybe I should-"

"Relax. I'm with him. Mom's here."- the rebel leader listed. "We're all here. We'll manage to hold the front for 4 days."

Cornelia smiled meekly. She was relatively new to motherhood and she knew she had yet a ton of things to learn, but her maternal instincts were already well developed. Caleb and their son were her world, which she'd always protect zealously, _much like her mother in-law_.

"Blunk here too!"- the passling's voice sounded from the kitchen. "Blunk always holds front!"

"That's so what I wanted to hear."- Cornelia rolled her eyes, but smirked. She ignored the crash which was created by Blunk dropping yet another frying pan on the floor and busied herself with her lips. She needed another coat of liquid lipstick before getting to the airport.

Caleb smacked her ass playfully before heading for the car in the driveway. He had to get her luggage in the trunk.

"Heyy! We're just here to wish a certain someone safe travels and to bring you a little banana bread."- the man had opened the door just before Taranee could ring the bell.

"Morning, you guys. Plank it on the table, I'm starving!"

With Nigel by her side and a big smile on her face, Taranee walked in the house. Cornelia gave her a little side hug:

"Thanks a lot, Tara. You shouldn't have; it's_ criminally_ early for anyone to be awake-"

"No, don't mention it! We had to be up already, anyway."- Taranee beamed, setting the baking down on the coffee table. "We have some early errands to run, then I'm off to Jensen's. I wanted to see you before you left-"

"We're meeting my mother's new caretaker today."- Nigel explained what his girlfriend had purposely forgotten to specify. Taranee looked over to him with a sincere smile; sometimes Nigel was too open minded and good for her to believe it. "She's moving back to her place and we found someone to help her around on a daily basis."

Cornelia stopped looking at her reflection at that part, shooting them a look of compassion:

"So, the renovations are over."- she concluded, putting the wand back in the liquid-lip tube. "How is Monica feeling about moving back to her old place?"

"Actually, she's quite excited. "- Nigel replied, placing his hand around his girlfriend's shoulders. " I think that she liked living with us and all that, but she wants for us to have our privacy."

Cornelia nodded and smiled.

"Well, that is nice. You two are more or less a family by now. Over ten years of dating with barely anything ever coming between you is something remarkable."

"Look who says."- Nigel returned the ball with a smirk. "You were the first girl from the group to settle down. Now that's remarkable."

"Yeah, Cornelia, you surpassed us all."- Taranee agreed.

"Don't I always?"

Taranee and her boyfriend exchanged amused glances at the sight of their blonde friend and her braggart hair flip. She certainly liked being praised.

"Yeah, look at yourselves. You're the power couple."- Nigel joked just as Caleb was returning back in the house.

Cornelia gave him a quick kiss and then pulled her two friends in for a quick hug:

"Thanks, you guys. I'm so happy to have you! Now, if you'd excuse me, I want to see Killian one more time before heading for the airport. I have a plane to catch!"

With that, the Earth guardian left the setting for good. She went on to do what she had said before leaving for the airport with Caleb, who was going to drop her there. It was all set. All set to go and to keep going, just like time did, for everyone and everything. Time didn't stop its course and at end of the day, that which was left to stay still was only Heatherfield. The city where the five elements would always meet up. Heatherfield from an airplane view...

* * *

Two hours later, Will was rushing towards Cornelia's house after an urgent call. Abandoning her tasks and the fact that her mother was still unreachable, she just parked in the driveway of the big lot, fidgeting in her seat. She had to be fast, the other girls were all already here and she had had to come with the car, because she had things in the trunk. Things which she was supposed to get to "Thunder Princess" and the pet store later. Otherwise, she could've as well just teletransported at Cornelia's.

"Hey, sorry I'm late."- she uttered once Taranee opened the front door for her. She had a thing going on with the electronic gates; they knew her and opened themselves. Normal doors, however, she still needed assistance with. Assistance in the form of hospitality, for preference.

"Come in."- Taranee made way for her. "We're just discussing our options."

The redhead nodded and followed her friend to the well-known living room, where a bunch of people had already formed a discussion.

"Hi Will. Sit."- Hay Lin patted the seat on the sofa next to her. "Grandma and Raythor just arrived too. You guys. Would you fill us all in?"

"In a jiffy!"- the ex-guardian's voice came from the kitchen which she then exited with a tray, teacups and a teapot. Yan Lin carried her usual warm smile as she set her goodies on the coffee table and then turned to the girls. Hay Lin and Will were sitting next to each other on the smaller sofa. Raythor, Caleb and Taranee were all on the bigger corner couch while Irma had seated herself on one tabouret.

"Don't be quick to tense up, girls; have some tea. Raythor came to the Dragon with information that he needed to share with the guardians and the Mage, and that's why I took him here with me, calling you all in on the way."- the old lady explained. "It's not an emergency, it's more of a...preventive measure."

The guardians all focused their eyes on the captain, who kept rubbing his palms together.

"Something quite intriguing happened in the palace this morning."- Yan Lin went on. "We should work this information carefully in order for it to be beneficial to Kandrakar and our mission to preserve the balance in the kingdoms."

"Any minute now, Raythe."- Irma invited him, impatiently.

The man escaped her eyes and looked at the staircase in anticipation.

"We're still waiting for-"- Taranee began, following his gaze, but didn't need to finish.

"I'm here and I'm all ears."

Nerissa made her way down the stairs and stopped right in the middle of the living room area. A sweetish, yet bold smile played on her lips as she focused her attention on Raythor:

"What did the fools do this time, my honorable knight?"

Five minutes later, she already knew, and she wasn't thrilled about it:

"Why am I not surprised? Miriadel and her husband have always had the wrong ideas and ambitions. They'll never be anything but short-sighted."

"Elyon had a nightmare like her mother did just before Phobos went all mondo on Meridian?"- Hay Lin exclaimed. "Well that can't be good! I guess we should tighten the shackles around his ankles."

"I'm sure that if we were to question her Majesty about this."- Caleb went back and forth around the room. "I mean, obviously without putting Raythor in a uncomfortable situation-"

"I just know that this has to be connected to the Dark Descendant prophecy.- Taranee muttered. "We have to get answers, girls. We have to get answers before its too late. Elyon's nightmare needs to be explained by someone who has witnessed it before. Someone who has seen it-"

"Who has seen what before?"- Irma insisted. "Elyon had a bad dream, big deal! Hay Lin didn't and she's the one who gets the prophetic dreams, right? Her power always picks them up for Elyon or anyone else, liberating them of any actual hardship. That has happened in the past. Who knows? Maybe Elyon had a regular-ass nightmare and her mother's right- "

"You're right, but only in part, Irma."- Yan Lin shook her head. "The Air guardians are usually the ones who have the strongest powers over foreseeing dreams, but that doesn't mean that we're the only ones that can sense such things. You've all altered dreams before, thanks to your powers, but you've all had nightmares before becoming guardians too. Nightmares that usually mean something. Nightmares based on hunches. Dreaming is not to be underestimated in general. Taranee makes a very valid point-"

The water guardian was about to say something else, but Will was faster:

"You mean that Elyon is so tightly connected to her kingdom that she can actually sense if something endangers it beforehand. Just like Weira did."- Will nodded back at Yan Lin and Taranee and then turned her attention to Nerissa: "Hey, this happened after the whole Mage twist thing. How come you haven't heard any of it? I thought that you kept a close eye on everything that went on in Meridian."

"Well, I tried my best, but still, I couldn't exactly divide myself into numerous copies."- Nerissa replied a tad irritated. She had never liked being preached. "Even I have the need to blink once in a while. Besides, by the time Weira has had that dream, the entire kingdom knew that her son would end up double crossing her."

"True. Even we who swore in oath to him didn't even suspect the magnitude of what was to come."- Raythor confirmed darkly. "He didn't simply take over the kingdom. He _assassinated_ his own parents in the name of power. You've seen nothing like those days-"

"It was inevitable."- Yan Lin interjected. "After C.H.Y.K.N disbanded, Halinor, Kadma and I lacked the balance to ahold the power of the Heart correctly. Our harmony was diminished. We thought that our presence on Meridian is no longer needed, each of us went on with her own life, while in fact, the worst of things happened in our absence. We thought that just because we weren't being called, we're not required. How wrong we've all been...We understood the vastness of Phobos's menace when he tried to attack Zamballa and we actually received a calling...But it was too late then. In the matter of months, Phobos had managed to usurp his entire kingdom and was already looking for new horizons. It was something unheard of, even to us...The veil was raised and Meridian was quarantined from the other worlds, but its people were condemned to sure misery. And there was nothing which we could do to help."

There was silence for a whole entire minute in the living room before Caleb stood up and slammed his fist in the coffee table, affected and enraged by these stories:

"That's exactly why I've always said that Phobos should be dead! That he must be shown no mercy! He showed no mercy, did he? No! We lived like roaches for 13 years because of him. And what are we all doing now? Letting him live in peace and isolation after his umpteenth transgression?! That man has more sins than all other prisoners put together, and he's not even in a proper prison!"- he fumed. "This situation could've been avoided!"

"You know what, it could've, and that what makes me angry."- Irma joined in. "It makes me angry with certain people, but it also makes me wonder: If so many people were aware of that sicko's intentions over 24 years ago, then why the hell did no one just kill him!"

"Irma..."- Hay Lin gasped. "Killing is hardly ever the thing to do. Especially with a 14 year old boy-"

"Oh, bite me, Hay Lin! How many other children have died because of him? How many people? Directly or indirectly. There, I've said it! I know this has been discussed many times, but its-"

"You're hilarious, you think than no one tried to stop the insane brat? They tried, so many fools tried, years before he killed his parents."- Nerissa exclaimed, drawing their attention.

She had stood up, her long sleek ponytail getting tossed around as she shook her head grimly:

"You don't know what it was like. You don't! What you got to see thirteen years later, in the dawn of that devil's last days on the throne, is a candied version of the initial picture!"

"She's right."- Yan Lin agreed softly, meeting her granddaughter's shocked expression.

"Many tried to plot against the crown. To take them down, to take Phobos and dispose of him. The aristocrats were shook, for they knew they'd lose the most, but all these ideas of a coup came too late. That much in love they were with the light of their days. Weira...But she was no longer with her sanity, unfortunately."- Nerissa kept narrating. "For one summer, that which used to be mere rumors had turned into an inevitable reality. Weira and Zaden had become puppets in Phobos's hands, and the palace was his impenetrable playhouse! Three more years passed in silence and more rumors. Phobos was ten, but the future of his subjects was a thousand times darker. Why do you think that I waited too? I knew that only time could turn the tables. Time, careful planning and patience; I knew that the Heart of Kandrakar by itself wouldn't be enough to save the Universe from Phobos, what was left for Kandrakar! Their decision to raise the veil was the only thing they could do, because at the time, no power matched that of the mad prince, who was sucking out the life force of an entire planet! I came to terms with the tragic facts quite fast, apparently so did the Oracle. Of course, while he _selfishly_ chose to lock himself in his beloved Kandrakar, I chose to remain on Meridian. The heart of poverty and pain at the time! Because I had much bigger dreams. And a son."- she turned to Caleb, gently framing his face in her palms. "And a vision. And look at us now. It was all worth it..."

Caleb returned the smile and covered her hands with his own. Who would've thought... Not him, certainly. Not all these years ago, when he had thought that his mother has died, just like in many of his friends' cases.

"The situation is repeating itself now and I don't like that."- Will concluded in the end. "Elyon has a dream like her mother did. A nightmare that foretells a new dark era for the people of Meridian. Everyone knows that something bad is coming, but none of us can put our minds to it and figure it out on time to stop it."

"It's worse this time, for all I can conclude."- Hay Lin murmured. "At least the last time they knew what to expect... This time its all just one big...anticipation. An eerie calm before a terrible storm. I can't help but-"

"It's not worse that last time, please."- Nerissa interrupted her in a snap, sitting herself back. "Last time Meridian had to wait 13 years for the rebellion to grow stronger, a new team of guardians to come fresher and more united, and for the rightful heir to reach a decent age. Now we have all these components. All we need is a little light in the tunnel."

"To locate where the malignant cell is and to direct all our powers there, destroying it prematurely."- Taranee finished.

"Exactly."

"Ok, that sounds good, but how do we divulge that? Weira's maid, the one who supposedly stood by her side after she had the fated nightmare, is long dead."

No one had an answer to that for a short while. All up until Taranee recalled something in Raythor's story:

"Didn't you mention a cousin? Weira's cousin was also closely related to the late maid?"

Raythor blinked as if the young woman had just shown him the pot of gold under the rainbow.

"Blimey! I did! She did, Miriadel,...but I didn't think about it...A cousin of the late queen..."- Raythor, who was sitting astraddle, rubbed his chin deep in thought.

Nerissa made a face, not sharing his enthusiasm.

"Yes, but which cousin. She had a ton of worthless relatives like every other monarch."

"Yes...it would be like searching for a needle in a haystack."- Will sighed, but Raythor shook his head:

"No! I've been a part of the royal court for over 30 years! In all these years, the Queen has been keeping her privacy, and my rank back then was obviously not high enough for me to be in the center of events...but this one woman that came to stay during the scum prince's younger years... I remember her quite well. She was a helluva of a woman."- Raythor almost whistled under his nose. "She has to be the cousin; the Queen wasn't close to many-"

"Even in comparison to me?"- Nerissa teased him, making Irma and Taranee exchange meaningful glances.

The man waved his hand:

"Not like that! I mean, the woman was beautiful, very beautiful, but she was also that minatory. By you, I don't feel threatened. She has to be that cousin, I'm certain..."

The ex-guardian pursed her lips and swung her hand attempting to slap his face, but in jest. The man caught it and brought it to his lips, gentlemanlike.

"But who was that woman, a Nordic Goddess?!"- Irma exclaimed. "Judging by the description-"

"She was a Queen too."- the captain muttered, falling in thoughts again. "But what kingdom did she come from..."

* * *

"Ero is a kingdom in the Metamoor, one approximately near to Meridian and also, quite related to it. By history and mystery."- Himerish smiled at the group in front of himself.

The guardian team had arrived in the Court of the Council, reduced by one for Cornelia was off to run her personal errands. The four young women had arrived to ask and receive information about a very quick intelligence mission, which the Oracle had already foreseen. Not for this particular time, but in general. Sooner or later, it had to happen.

"Seras Ero, who happens to be a distant cousin of Weira Escanor, might be able to give you the answers you seek, guardians. I'm glad that you've managed to come to this source of information, that even we didn't consider up until today. Be wise, patient and be proud of your positions, no matter what."- the bald man made a pause in which his warm smile faded a tad. "I can go on, showering details about the planet of Ero and its inhabitants upon you, though I'll leave that to the Queen. She's not a person to hold the Fortress of Infinity in high regard and we wouldn't want to give her reasons to be angry with us from the start."

"What a big surprise."- Irma couldn't help herself.

Himerish met her devilish sparkling glance and just chuckled under his breath with a gentle shake of his head:

"You're a jocular soul, Irma. You never fail to bring a smile to my face with your wisecracks. Off you go now. Mage, right on time."

Himerish smiled, having sensed her arrival even before the portal opened in the middle of the court, letting Nerissa, Yan Lin and Caleb in.

"Had to get my grandson ready to spend some time with Julian, alone. Glad to be punctual"- she explained briefly and gifted the seer with a cold glance.

"But of course. You may now open the fold."

"Where to?"

The girls gathered around Caleb as the older woman exchanged last words with the Oracle. Hay Lin wrapped her arms around her grandmother's shoulders:

"Ero."- Himerish replied softly, as Nerissa raised her eyebrows and threw her long ponytail to one side. It quickly fell back in place though; it was high and straight, secured with a strand of hair that covered the hairbands underneath.

"Ero? Isn't that riveting." - she murmured and activated her ring.

"It certainly will be. Guardians."- the Oracle turned to them just before they crossed through the fold. "Be mature and proud of who you are. I sense the difficult times looming above us to be nearer. I strongly believe that your short mission on Ero will be favorable, but that must not let you be caught off guard. Some things will always come as a bolt from the blue, no matter how painstakingly we try to keep track of them."

* * *

_**Ero, 4:15 PM**_

The royal palace of Ero greeted the new comers solemnly as they made their way through its corridors. The castle guards had been hesitant at first, but seeing that they come from Kandrakar, they had stepped back. The Queen would deal with Kandrakarian ambassadors herself. One way or another.

The royal saloon, they were led to, was dimply lit, but the group could make out the silhouette of a woman standing by the big windows, with her back turned to them. The silhouette of the former Queen. She was dressed in a voluminous red gown. Her long sand-colored hair covered her back.

Irma and Taranee exchanged glances.

_\- Here goes nothing..._

Will cleared her throat tensely, getting ready to speak on behalf of the entire group:

"Your Majesty. Your Majesty, we're the guardians of Kandrakar and these are allies of ours, we're here to discuss an urgent matter with You. An urgent matter concerning Meridian..."

"Did you say, Meridian?"- Seras turned to them with a voice filled with excitement at the mentioning of that. "It has been ages since I have heard of that place."

With a quick and fluent motion, she pushed the stained-glass window aside to get a better glance at her visitors. Her lips were colored red to match her dress, but her bright smile faded when her eyes landed on Yan Lin:

"I thought I said that I never wanted to see you or any other of the Oracle's lackies ever again! Haven't you done enough damage already?"- her eyes then focused on Will and the rest. "The rest of you may stay and I'll answer any question you may have, but she- "- she pointed at Yan Lin."-must leave. I have seen the damage the Oracle and his devout followers can do and I do not wish any of it in my kingdom."

That line of Seras's had the group baffled, but Yan Lin just gave them a sign to remain quiet. Her eyes slowly moved from the former Queen, who was but a mere memory in her mind. In her years, she had gained enough wisdom to demonstrate during such situations. She might have met her Majesty in the past, but she failed to recall with certainty. 58 years had passed since Yan Lin had become a guardian for the first time, but only 24 since the first veil. Many turns of events had taken place during these long years and many of them were better left unquestioned. All the ex-guardian knew was that she understood the display of resentment. Kandrakar has always had supporters as well as resisters...

Nerissa, however, failed to understand and couldn't hide her indignancy. If there was one quality of her old friend's that she had always admired and hated at the same time, it had to be her indulgence.

"What is she talking a- "

\- _Nerissa, don't_. - the old lady told her telepathically. - _Don't forget why we've come here and what we're to do. Do not make this a pride thing. Let it be. The stakes for Meridian are too high for any risks to be taken._

Then she turned to the rest of the group and added out loud:

"I'll be waiting for you all outside."

Will stole a quick glimpse of Hay Lin, who appeared frustrated, but still silent, and then looked at the others who just keep their cool. Nerissa's ice-cold mask of an expression exuded disdain. The redhead knew that she had to get to talking before her:

"Your Majesty, Queen Seras, right? My name's Will. Me and my friends are also loyal to Kandrakar, but we didn't come to create inconvenience for anyone-"

Irma snorted at that part, interjecting a quick comment:

"I'd rather say that we think of ourselves as independent young ladies who've taken the path of righteousness. Kandrakar is like a stop for us, you know. Like a sponsor- "

Will glared at Irma deathly and silenced her with a look. Only then could she finish her own words.:

"- we come with peace. That being said, I'd love for you to answer a few questions and probably make a few confirmations...Your exact relation to Meridian is?"

Now that the older guardian was gone, Seras smiled warm and kindly at the others:

"Long ago, a sporadic Meridian King had three children. Since only the oldest daughter could inherit the throne, there used to be the custom that the firstborn son is killed and any other daughters are to get married off to other royals. Since this king loved all his children equally, he sent the son and younger daughter away and the boy came to Ero, where he founded this great kingdom. In simpler terms, I am a distant cousin to the dead Queen Weira."

She then glanced at Hay Lin and offered her a soft and comforting smile.

"I do apologize for sending your older friend away, but I have my reasons to distrust the Oracle and his devout followers. Especially those who served him before the veil... I do not give you girls the same treatment as you are young and easily deceived."

Nerissa frowned slightly, but said nothing as the Queen returned her attention to the full group again:

"Are there more questions? If there are, I'll ask a servant to bring you some refreshments."

-_ She varies, this Seras. I like her._ \- Irma claimed in telepathy.

Will smiled amicably and nodded:

"No, thank you, your Majesty, but that won't be needed. Unfortunately, we can't stay long, but thank you for showing us hospitality. We came here because Meridian is facing hard times yet again. You care about Meridian, right?"

Taranee took a step forward, just before Will could get her answer:

"Your Majesty, do you happen to have ever heard anything about the prophecy of the so-called Dark Descendant?"

Irma rolled her eyes in the back as Hay Lin bit her lip:

_\- Seriously, babe? You're gonna hit her with that?_

Taranee frowned:

_\- What? Don't give me that look, you girls, the prophecy is connected to all this, whether you like it or not-_

_\- Now you're just repeating Icona! Chill out already! That's not why we came to this place._

Hay Lin interfered in their telepathic argument, seeing the situation threatening to become awkward for their hostess:

\- _Taranee, Irma's right...We came to talk about Elyon and Weira, and their nightmares, not about the prophecy..._

Will nervously tugged on the sleeve of her guardian uniform. Hearing them argue the entire time distracted her from her diplomatic approach. She turned to glare at her teammates, just when Nerissa's voice echoed loudly in their heads.

\- _Get a hold of yourselves, amateurs!_

Caleb gawked when his mother stepped forward, but she just nodded him off with an evasive smile. Watching the brunette take the front line, turning her attention to the former Queen, Will suppressed the desire to facepalm. So much for the diplomatic approach. The least bad she could do was take on with passive-aggressiveness.

When Nerissa started to speak to the Queen, her smile had already melted into an impenetrable expression:

"Pardon me, I'm the Mage of Meridian. Taking the word, because I cannot afford any more surprises from your late cousin's eldest _scion_, nor lose any time, you see. I assume you are well informed of his... life choices? Prince Phobos."- she spat at the name, but smiled icily. "You seem to know a lot about Meridian, yet I don't particularly know anything about you. You and Weira couldn't have been very close, not during her last years, at least. Why was that? Did something bad happen just before...oh you know, the entire kingdom went down in black thorns and the infamous veil was raised?"

Seras narrowed her eyes at Nerissa and stood up from her seat, easily towering over the Mage of Meridian despite her pregnant belly causing her to hunch over a little:

"I am well aware of the Prince's actions, but I will not allow the insinuation that Weira and I weren't close. I grew up in Meridian at her side, and we were as close as sisters before we married our spouses. I would have done anything for her and would still do today, despite everything she caused. I came when she worried about her kingdom's future, stood by her side until she conceived her daughter, and helped her give birth to her son only three months after I gave birth to my own daughter. Think of me as you want, but never suggest I wasn't close to her."

Nerissa raised her eyebrows as the other woman winced ever so slightly; the baby in her belly kicked and forced her to take a seat once again. Huffing and rubbing her stomach, she kept her glare direct towards Nerissa, but kept her voice calm and collected, nevertheless:

"I know plenty of the Dark Descendant mythos and my oldest daughter studied many of them in great detail, but there is no evidence that another Meridian King has ever overstepped his boundaries. According to all the existing records, the Meridian Kings were decent at their job; then again, how well can a man do his job if the public expects him to be a rotten egg. As for the reason I cut contact with Weira; I lost my temper with her over how she treated her son back when he was her only child. He was just a child..."

Her voice then softened, and she returned her attention to Will, whom she presumed was the leader.

" Think of Prince Phobos what you want, but know the full truth first. Back when he was a child, he was very bright, kind, and held a promising future; however, the Oracle filled Weira's mind with nonsense and encouraged her to risk her life to birth a second child. People were against him from the minute he was born. Soon after she had a son, Weira got obsessed with birthing a female heir. All the while, the boy suffered in silence. He tried hard to win her favors, but no accomplishment of his satisfied her. Once she conceived her daughter, she tried to marry the boy off to one of my daughters; she even offered to sell him to me as a concubine. I was disgusted with her. I was a young mother myself and couldn't believe a mother could speak about her child like this. Before I left Meridian for the last time, she said he was born evil and I told her the following: 'We all carry a seed of evil in us, but it is the surrounding environment that allows it to sprout into a horrid tree.' Looking back, I should have taken Weira up on her offer. Maybe then my friend would be alive and you girls wouldn't have to worry about Phobos. I would have raised him as my own. If you want to blame someone for the troubles Meridian is facing, then blame either me, Weira, or the Oracle."

Nerissa curved her lips in a patronizing smile, her eyes darting to the Queen's baby bump:

"Oh, I'd say. But you didn't quite understand me, your Majesty, I only asked that for I wanted to explain certain..._abnormalities_ to myself. What you said explains why I've never met you before. You are near Weira's age, yet again you are expecting? Congratulations. Thankfully, Raythor managed to remember you and here we are now- "

Will, who was taken aback a little bit, quickly regained her confidence, interrupting Nerissa:

"No, your Majesty, we didn't come to seek faults. We're here because as guardians, it's our job to find the most adequate solution to Meridian's current problems."

"Yeah."- Taranee backed her up. "Crying over spilt milk is pointless anyway."

"And Queen Seras, I personally don't doubt that your nephew was once a little boy whose heart was untainted."- Hay Lin interjected sincerely." What happened to him in his childhood was terrible... But as times go by, we can't hold out hopes for him anymore...We fought him twice over ten years ago. I think that it's time to think of his child. If we are to avoid for him or her to have their father's fate..."

That had the effect of a thunder in a clear sky. Queen Seras looked at the girls with an open mouth.

Irma folded her arms casually and explained:

"Oh, yeah, didn't we mention that Phobos had a little 'romance' after he escaped the last time? They're now happily expecting to become parents while under house arrest."

The Queen was still assimilating the news, as Caleb was about speak for the first time since they arrived. His voice was dry as he tried his best to suppress his hatred for the prince and the patriotism that made his blood boil each time, he would hear justifications for Phobos's actions:

"A very _mild_ sentence, if you ask me or anyone born on Meridian in the last 30 years. But our Queen is merciful, she has been sparing her brother for over a decade. She's been sparing him and that's been affecting her... This morning she had a terrible nightmare. Actually, the biggest reason for us to be here today- "

"Yes, you see, that nightmare happens to resemble one that your late cousin had, just weeks before her son usurped the power."- Nerissa interrupted her son and shot another cold smile at the tall woman. "I think you'd agree that this resemblance is quite alarming. And since the Oracle's power and authority so _unfortunately_ stand above all of us, me included, I'm... we're forced to seek more..._pacific_ ways to prevent a second greater crisis in the borders of Meridian."

Seras, who had by now secretly decided she didn't like that woman, glared at Nerissa once again:

"That I am expecting has nothing to do with my age. Weira only managed two children in her years, and I managed four. Fertility is not a matter of age and I do not need to be congratulated on my fourth little demon. All I hope is that this last one will be a boy; I already have three daughters that worship their father, I only want one to treat me the same. Then again, there is the saying that girls are their fathers' babies while boys are their mothers'."- she sighed and turned her attention to Hay Lin with a smile: "As long as he breaths and his heart beats, I'll hold out hope that Phobos can change; Even if surprised, I am glad to hear that he will be a father soon. Then he will know what it is like to be a parent and worry about your child's every step; I wish him luck and hope his wife is competent enough to be of aid, the gods know Zaden wasn't of much use in raising kids."- her voice lowered to a mutter: "I bet a brick wall could have been a better father than him."

The Queen sighed, getting her mind off a topic which obviously brought her a great deal of pain. One last sigh and the smile was back on her red lips. "I am also grateful to know that Weira's daughter has been merciful to her brother; the gods know he became what everyone expected of him. It is great to know that there is one person to think differently of him, which would make her greater than her own mother. If I ever get past my friend's death, I shall gather the courage to travel to Meridian and meet her. I owe her that much. As for her nightmares, I have to know what it was. Weira suffered from nightmares quite a number of times. Before the birth of her son, she suffered from one that wouldn't let her rest until I arrived to comfort her. If you wish me to help prevent a future crisis by studying the past, I need to know the present."

Nerissa estimated the robust woman with a half-smile-half glower. This tall, gigantic human porcelain doll was Elyon's aunt? She had to be three times the sizes of the Whelp, yet something in her reminded the sorceress of her niece. It wasn't the long blonde locks, it was this...this manner of speaking. Genetics do be swimming in the borders of their own pools, even if between distant relatives...

"Elyon's adoptive mother...the woman who raised her on Earth, has only heard rumors of this, but the fact that she was genuinely terrified by the possibility ignites our own worry."- Will had already started explaining. "Your Majesty, you'd know this best, but just two months before Meridian fell under Phobos's sway, Queen Weira allegedly had a very vivid nightmare. What happened after that?"

_And Will looks like a cockroach in comparison to her Majesty too_...Nerissa snickered at her own thoughts, but that didn't go unnoticed by her replacement who took her to telepathic sermon:

\- _This isn't about going head to head with people, Nerissa. Please, quit being shady and let me talk. We need to leave Ero with some sort of new knowledge. Don't you ever get tired of catcalling?_

\- _Now what have I done?_ \- Nerissa snapped in response. - _Please, it would take you forever to get to the point. I didn't come here to watch you chit-chat. Neither has she been on Meridian in the last 20 years, nor does she intend to come. Also, her friend's death that she can't get over, was all her sweet Phobos's doing. What am I, to pretend that I care for that brat? Let it be, you're faking it quite well, I'll give you that, Ms. Moral Keeper-_

Will suppressed the urge to roll her eyes while Irma took the word:

"Black thorns that suck out all of the life force from the Meridianites. Anarchy, misery... pretty much what followed. Only it coming to her in her dreams didn't help prevent it in real life, by any means. And that blows, because Elyon is supposed to get married. She can't have her mother's fate right now."

Taranee took a cautious look of all of her friends' faces before adding to the Latina's statement:

"Yeah, we're trying to determine whether a Queen can actually sense her kingdom's future fate and whether its always a scaffold to dream of it in peril. Basically, we need some inside information on life in the castle during those years when Phobos started to gain control over his parents. When his powers started to increase. You expressed some dislike for Zaden?"

The Queen nodded confidently, but Caleb couldn't help but feel like the guardians were going out of line with their questions.

"Clearly than won't happen again."- he stated sharply. "Phobos is a prisoner and the birth of his child will be when his so-called trial will start. Just tell us about that dreaming. Is it prophetic or not?"

Seras ignored his words, taking a moment to think over the meaning of the dream, remembering the letters she had received from Weira. She closed her eyes and appeared as though asleep for a moment before opening them again and staring at the people before her, like a teacher would at a difficult class:  
"The devil is in the details, my dear, but if I had to intemperate the dream as it corresponds with the letters I received from Weira, there is a strong suggestion that the events are related. From what I learned through the letters, her son became more and more withdrawn from the public in the months before she died and it worried her, but she did nothing to combat it. In her last letter to me, she worried that her end is near since her son began to experiment with rose vines and managed to drain the life force of a servant; she claims it was an accident, but I doubt it. I think she wrote it like that to ease my worries. She planned on sending him away to a different world to protect her kingdom and daughter from him, but it is clear that she never got to that point. If you ask me, a Queen like Weira and her daughter, Elyon, have the ability to sense what troubles their kingdom might face, but Weira's downfall was brought onto her by her own actions. If you worry about the baby making the same mistakes as its father, then I can ease your mind. I did mention that all of us carry a seed of evil in us, but it requires outside influences to help it sprout. If you want to keep the baby from repeating history, then give it a good reason to stay on the path of light. As for you other questions, life in Meridian wasn't as bright a cheerful as the older generations want you to believe. There were famine, droughts, and floods; but people still praised their Queen. Once the public discovered she birthed a boy, people immediately blamed all their misfortunes on his existence. After realizing that his subjects would never accept him, and he found no comfort from his parents, he kept it all to himself. Any acts of misbehaving on his part could be written off as him discovering a new ability and, by all accounts, his abilities were nothing short of what was expected of him. Honestly, when I visited, Weira might have been aware of the threat her son posed, but accepted my explanation of him simply being a curious child... If you ask me, the Prince mostly planned to usurp his father, since he was the one who posed the greatest threat. To him...Zaden made no secret of despising his son and tried a few times to kill him in ways that looked like an accident; teaching him to swim by having him thrown into a pond, forcing him to walk the perimeter of the castle no matter the weather, and sending him out into a blizzard after taking a warm bath, in the hopes the boy would freeze to death... Weira simply let it happen since she both loved and feared her husband. Well, love is a strong exaggeration; she got used to being married to him as she wasn't allowed to choose whom she married once her first love left her."

Seras looked away from the girls and their hanging jaws, and turned her attention to Caleb in what seemed to be the hopes to ease his worries:

"If the unborn child worries you this much, then it isn't the father that you must worry about. Considering everything he has done, it would be a miracle if he is in the child's life at all, as I sense Phobos will either be executed or imprisoned for life. Despite her mercy towards him, I doubt Elyon would be able to protect him forever. Worry about the effects the mother will have on the baby if you want to worry about anyone. Or to help..."

She then turned her attention to Nerissa and returned an exact copy of the Mage's smile at her:

"As for you and your worries, I might have been absent for Weira's demise, but I am not unaware about events in Meridian. I know who you are, Nerissa, and I am surprised that your son did not end-up sharing the same fate as Phobos. I think that is thanks to his father and not you."

Nerissa's smile quenched faster than a burned-out bulb.

Irma struggled to hide her pep; mentally screaming to the other three guardians:

-_ YIKES! I'm torn between loving the end and fearing the Evil Queen's ballistic reply. And I'm NOT talking about the actual Queen in this room-_

Taranee closed her eyes:

_\- We're over. We are...Get ready to be thrown out of the palace and be banned from Ero._

_\- Right... she did hit her in her Achilles heel. Nerissa's not gonna take that lightly. She won't stop embarrassing us wherever we go-_

Hay Lin, who seemed to be the only one trying to keep a positive up tone despite the situation, added:

_\- At least we got some reassuring answers...If Seras thinks that it was Weira's actions and inactions that led to her fate in end, then with Elyon, we'll just have to make sure that no wrong choices will be made on her behalf until her little nephew or niece is born-_

Will nodded evasively, but couldn't come to rationalize everything together before at least trying to prevent an ugly scene from their side:

"Your Majesty- "- she began out loud, in spite of her concerns, only to be interrupted by a familiar male voice...

Caleb had brought his hands together in a prayer-like position, crossly lifting them up as he looked at the Queen with all the respect he has been taught to display when talking to royals, as much as he could fight against his desire to snap:

"Thank you for your time, your Majesty, we'll now leave you to wrap up with the guardians, for I don't want to present myself in the bad light of someone who doesn't respect the crown."

Will covered her eyes with her left palm, resting her left elbow on her ribs in an attempt to hide from the shame that was about to be inflicted on their name once all parties have spoken, as the rebel leader went on:

"Believe me, I do, but I would have been the first one to throw myself in an ice-cold pond to drown, had I ever seen any resemblance between my path and that of Phobos. Furthermore, you're right, the tyrant's baby isn't to be feared, it's just sad and nauseating that it was created with the sole purpose of his parents to try overthrowing Elyon, who's been nothing but a sacrificial lamb that did not learn to hate her brother, even after all his evil deeds … Hope I wasn't too blunt. All my life I've fought against your nephew's tyranny and she-"- he pointed at his mother. "- she has always only fueled my desire to see a free Meridian while watching over me. From the shadows, from her endless disguises and through all the covert ways you can think of, true. But she has never left me alone. My mother's a very strong woman, your Majesty. Much stronger than any other woman I've met, in all aspects of the word. She could lead the rebellion while fooling the entire Council of Kandrakar and many others in the name of her goals and dreams... It's people's distrust that she can't fight alone and I, as her son, am obliged to defend her from that. I apologize if we've both crossed lines today, if she taunted you in some way..."- Caleb looked over at Nerissa, who was simply looking back at him with affection. Affection that had made her forget about any anger. "She does that quite a lot, but I promise you she means well. This taunting, it's a reaction which one can get when she's baffled, I too am. I feel like we're baffled by your stance on Phobos. Do you really think that he can change after all these years?!"

"Caleb, what you said was beautiful, but don't do that now. Put yourself in the other person's shoes. Just like you can't have someone speak bad of your mom, Phobos is also someone's child and object of affection."- Hay Lin tried to reason with him. "Queen Seras is his aunt, its normal for her to- "

"No, he _was_ someone's child. But he killed his parents, didn't he?! She appears to love him more than his birth mother did, its appalling to me that one can consider him worthy of any new chances after all the blood he has on his hands!"- Caleb yelled ardently.

To Will's surprise Seras smiled at the group and just relaxed a little in her seat:

"There is no need to apologize, Caleb, I was merely showing your mother that if she keeps playing with fire like this, she will get burnt eventually. I will not be made a mockery in my own castle without getting a few strikes in myself."- she said calmly. "But to answer your question, I believe that anyone with a beating heart has the ability to change with the proper incentive. He was never given a proper reason to change; from what I have observed of his actions, he doesn't care for anything but power and would even risk his own health for it; power is all he knows to achieve. The baby might give him the push he needs to snap out of the belief that everyone is out to kill him. I know his hands are caked in blood, but so are those of the Oracle and the Oracle is always forgiven, so why not Phobos? Caleb, you would not be the first to throw yourself to a water grave if you went down the same path as Phobos. The path of distrust and evil is gradually walked on... If he was born as evil as he is now, then he would not have survived infancy. Him killing his parents was simply the breaking point; probably an act of self-defense. Afterwards, he simply kept telling himself that his actions were necessary to survive. I have seen it many times before and I will see it many times before I die, Caleb; you could have easily been just like him and not even know it. I can see your disgust and understand it, but I want you to hate him for the right reasons, not because of some belief you were brought up with. Behind every evil tyrant, there is a person with their reasons. Like your friend said, put yourself in his shoes if you want to keep your Queen and kingdom safe. Only in understanding your enemies' mindset can you properly fight them without lowering yourself to their level."- she interlaced her fingers on her knee and nodded a strand of long sand-colored hair away. "My advice for the baby is to put it into an environment that won't allow the evil within them to sprout and grow."

Seras moved her eyes to Will, once again. The royal saloon had seen more talking than it was used to, but she felt the need to settle everything with the guardians before having them leave. It was what she felt right in her heart as far as her deceased cousin' legacy was concerned:

"Don't be ashamed of your friends. If anything, it is heartwarming to see such affection in the face of all this trouble. If you have any more questions or need clarification, I and all my knowledge of Meridian are an open book. You can trust that not a single word of mine is a lie; it is known that lies are bad for developing babies."- she smiled warmly and patted her swollen stomach.

_No, I'm not ashamed_, Will thought calculating all that she had heard. _Caleb's a great guy, but he and his mother have the biggest egos. So big that at times they fail to keep a low profile when it's needed..._

"The right reasons. Right."- the man muttered under his breath and looked away after a quick nod. His outburst was wearing off and he could return to being a pacific companion. His mother seemed totally carried away in her own worlds, but she was peaceful. That was all that mattered. He nodded at Will, ignoring Taranee's frantic whispers:

"She never said that, Caleb!"- the fire guardian hissed, trying to isolate herself from the Queen's hearing. "What's the matter with you today, nobody expects of us to reprieve Pho-"

Irma elbowed her, annoyed, before she could even finish:

"Clam up, will ya, babe? Helmi's talking."

Will gave her a little side glare having heard the unconventional nickname, but just shook her head and aimed her attention at the hostess again. They had avoided a worst-case scenario due to Seras's tolerance and Nerissa's sudden loss of interest in feuding. Both had fired stray bullets of words, not causing that much damage, but her task as the guardian leader was still heavy. She had to put all new information they had received into use and benefit to Meridian: "Thank you, your Majesty. Your answers were satisfactory. I think that we've gathered most of the information which we needed. I don't know how exactly events will be coming together from now on, but I can assure that we're all unanimous in one thing. Phobos's child won't be treated worse than any other child on Meridian, just because of who his parents are. He or she will get a fair start in life. That's Kandrakar's will, that's what Elyon wants. We're going to do all in our power to support that decision."

Hay Lin beamed in her usual optimism, as the other girls nodded:

"Grandma's generation couldn't, because of many outside factors, but we will surely manage to prevent one more child from turning to the darkness in the future, especially if it's a boy."

That statement of hers had Nerissa snap out of her ruminative spell, caused by her son's words for her. She pierced the younger girl's back with an irked glance.

"Our generation didn't have certain luxuries that you five are now benefiting from, Hay Lin. Don't be so cocky. Once upon a time, Himerish chose not to get involved with Phobos directly, now he's just trying to avoid making the same mistake a second time. That's the entire reasoning behind Kandrakar's involvement with his progeny. She's right."- the sorceress nodded at Seras, offhandedly. "But obviously, only partly. Once again."

Irma rolled her eyes:

"Oh, here we go again. I knew you'd never think of leaving before striking a few more times. However would you get to leave without having the last word-"

"Your sarcasm is out of place, but so is your attitude in general, water guardian."- Nerissa averred, making Irma frown. "I was profoundly concordant with what the Queen had to say, that's why I did not reply. It's true, had it not been for Julian, Caleb wouldn't be standing where he stands today. His father raised him all alone, I will never deny that. There's just that- good fathers and bad fathers. Fathers who support their sons in war and such who throw them to drown in a lake."- she stated coldly, turning her eyes to the Queen once again. "It's just how life is. I have to agree with that. What I don't agree with is your views on the ex-guardians and their contribution to your dear nephew's fate- "

Will suddenly stood in front of the older woman, her lips turning into a straight line:

"I don't see how that's relevant to what we've been discussing. We're wrapping up, Nerissa."- she hissed through gritted teeth. "We don't have time for ranting."

Nerissa wasn't impressed by that one bit, she put her hand on her waist daringly and looked down at her:

"Pardon me, but I am _the Mage_. I also get to express my views-"

"You've been expressing yourself ever since we arrived-"- Irma said from behind, but the other woman just ignored her:

"- if you think that Meridian is your responsibility more than it is mine, you're quite wrong, Will. I've been Meridian's magic patron from before you were even born. Ero is neighbor to us, isn't it? No things should be left unsaid between the two kingdoms. Better set things straight now than face new hardships in the future, wouldn't you agree, your Majesty?"

Seras smiled at Nerissa, but it was the kind of smile an opponent has in a game of chess when they see an opening:

"So you don't agree with the contributions to my nephew's fate? Then let me ask you a few questions. I know the Oracle saw the future of Weira and Meridian, so why didn't he stop it? He could have prevented Weira's death; allowing Elyon to grow up in Meridian, despite the downsides to it, and kept all the hardships you and your friends have faced. Where were you and your teammates when Weira suffered from her prophetic nightmares? Where were the great guardians when my nephew suffered in silence and became the monster you see him as now? Are you telling me that the Oracle never told you? If that is the case, then why do you serve him if the lives of thousands mean nothing to him? Haven't any of you suggested sending Phobos away instead of Elyon, since he is the unwanted one and she is the Light of Meridian? If the Oracle is so powerful, why not have Phobos stripped of his ability to use magic? He could have stayed in Meridian, if he wasn't allowed to leave. You can't tell me you and your friends were so blinded by the Oracle's glory that you never questioned him. Sheep of the poorest peasant must have more sight than the guardians then!"- she concluded harshly, narrowing her eyes at Nerissa again as her tone became bitter: "If Zaden and Weria are guilty of the monster they let their son become, Phobos is guilty of his crimes, and I am guilty for abandoning the boy, then the blood of all that have died under his rule also stains, not just the Oracle's, but your hands as well!"

Nerissa's cold laugh echoed in the saloon, but the smile never left her face: "You see? I agree with you on so much, yet so many of your self-made conclusions need clarifications! That's all I want to give you today. If we are to know the right reasons to loathe Phobos, then you should also learn to blame the_ right people_ for what happened with him; when the Oracle chose to take the Heart of Kandrakar away from me, our guardian group was broken apart. Terrible incidents ruined the overpraised, yet important harmony, that made us strong, for decades to come, and that happened years before Weira even came to rule! Before that, we had other successful missions in many other worlds and realms... For 8 years, we were an unstoppable force for good... But then."- the ex-guardian paused with a grave scowl on her face. "Then the incident happened. Cassidy lost her life and I lost everything. And the rest of them? Their lives were marked by grief and pain for what seemed that would last forever! And a group of guardians deprived of their leader cannot function the way it has functioned before. The original guardians were broken before your nephew's life began. Yes, Yan Lin, Halinor and Kadma kept being on duty, but the Heart no longer served them. Their powers decreased and their senses were numbed...the three of them have neither sensed being needed nor had the efficiency to be of any help. As for Elyon, when the rebellion sought help years later, it was already too late. She had to be removed from the planet, because her brother wanted her _dead_. But back to the start; the one who has always known what is happening on Meridian is indeed Himerish...The Oracle."- she smiled bitterly. "But he's just an _observer_. Yes, that's what he calls himself. If he could foresee Cassidy's death, one of his very own guardians, and still did nothing about it, then do you really think that he'd move his finger for Meridian and the royal family? It sounds awfully unfair, but he is who he is. He doesn't intervene, he watches the worlds burn, that's why the guardians are so important. Without guardians, the Council of Kandrakar won't interfere directly. In anything. _Ever_. I've long learned not to be dependent on the Oracle, not entirely, at least. That's how I restored Cassidy's life, 40 years after she died from my hands! I was this close to turning Kandrakar into dust and ashes!"- Nerissa gesticulated, as to show how little was left to be done, with her long-manicured nails. Then she smirked bitterly again and just shook her head: "Well, that obviously didn't happen. We've entered the 11th year post these events. Time truly is something dangerous and astounding. Almost 60 years have passed in total, since I first became a guardian at 13, and I'm back at being somewhat related to the man who almost ruined my life by sending me to rot on the top of a mountain. I know one can't tell; I take great pride in my appearance, after all."- she added smugly, tossing her long jet-black hair to the back. "But perhaps it does appear baffling. Why am I working with Kandrakar again? Why are we, the former guardians, loyal to the Fortress, some of us more than others, after all that happened? Why when it's them who get all the glory, anyway?" - Nerissa added, turning to the girls with pursed lips.

Will kept her own lips in a straight line, but didn't reply. Irma endured the green burning look, crossing her hands on her chest:

"Oh, no, no objections. I'm just amazed by how you made everything about you. _Again_."

But Nerissa gave her her back and returned her attention back on the sitting Queen:

"It's because we were chosen by the five elements. We were chosen to protect the Universe from war, famine and pain, and we will keep doing that, no matter what it takes! No matter the injustice. We are guardians. You can blame the Oracle, you can blame whoever you want, I guess that you wouldn't be wrong. I said what I wanted to say. Just know that it's pointless. I'm awfully sorry for what happened with the royal family if that makes any difference. All of them...Unfortunately, altering the past is beyond any of us. We have to make the present worth living."

Seras took in what Nerissa was saying and thought over it for a minute:

"For a being with the ability to see it all, he surely chooses to let thousands suffer instead of taking actions. However, the fact that only three members remained does not absolve the guardians of their faults."- she insisted. "Neither you nor the next generation ever questioned Himerish's actions or suggested ways to solve the problems in Meridian before they got to where they are now... Is he even worth the title of Oracle if he does nothing with his abilities? Are you worth the title of guardian, whether you were chosen by the elements or not, if you can't do your job even when stripped of your powers? I was told the role of a guardian is to serve and protect even if they are not granted the powers of the elements, is that not the case? What I am saying, is the same as you, all are at fault. I know I won't convince you to think differently of the Prince, but now you know more about him and what caused his descent into evil. You can't fight a monster, but you can fight the man within when you know what he has gone through. When you leave, promise me one thing, if you can please spare the Prince's life and that of the child."- Seras added seriously. She sighed as her eyes met those of Nerissa. "If not for my sake or that of Weira, then for Elyon's. The mercy she shows for her brother is a true sign of the Light of Meridian and I worry that it might dim if more harm came to her family. We shouldn't focus making the present worth living, but we should work on studying the truth of history and keep it from repeating, so our descendants don't suffer the way we had to. Another thing I do want to make clear, is that the Oracle should count his lucky stars that I haven't paid him a visit, for if I did, I would prove the old saying that 'A Single Hand Cannot Clap' is wrong. Anyway, when you leave, make sure to rescue your elderly friend from my servants. Knowing them, they have probably swaddled her in blankets and offering her one cup of tea or cake after another."

The Queen allowed her vocal strings to rest as she submerged into thoughts for a moment before smiling the same way she used to when with Weira: "Which reminds me."- she reached into the pocket of her dress and pulled out a small bag. Opening it, she revealed pearl-sized orbs of candy. "These are an Ero specialty. May I offer you all some for enduring my depressing recount of the Meridian royal family?" - the Queen laughed a little having remembered an event from the past. "My eldest daughter offered these to Phobos when we stayed in Meridian before Weria conceived Elyon. They were sweet enough to make the young Prince ill to his stomach; he probably hates them to this day."

Nerissa stole a moment to reflect on everything, studying the expecting Queen with an astute smile. Perhaps it was time to drop the topic; she would take this token of hospitality as a truce proposal of sorts. The Queen of Ero had proven to be a more intelligent collocutor than she had expected, and also, quite respect inspiring, which was a nice change from the meek royals she had had to endure lately. But of course, Seras was stubborn. As any other queen.

"Well. It would be rude to decline the Queen's hospitality. As for that unborn child...worry not. Whereas Phobos's future depends on Elyon and primarily his own actions, his baby will never be harmed. I'm a mother. A grandmother... every one of us, whatever flaws we might have, would never sacrifice an infant."- the Mage promised before putting one of the orbs in her mouth.

Will and the other girls also approached to take some candy.

"Not gonna lie, your Majesty, when you reacted like that with grandma, I wanted to leave at once, but now I know that you're a good woman."- Hay Lin smiled. "Maybe you should really consider coming to Meridian some time. Elyon would benefit from meeting someone like you. You are her family."

"Yeah, it might be a little bit more difficult now with the veil and all, but Elyon really knows very few of her relatives."- Taranee agreed, checking her watch. They had spent over 90 minutes on this special audience. "She's past her identity-crisis moments, but some more family is never otiose."

"Yeaah! Think about it. Her wedding is a perfect occasion."- Irma winked at the smiling Queen. "We'll make sure to send you an invitation."

Will gave a little curtsy:

"Thank you once again, Queen Seras. Nerissa said it, but I guarantee that we will give all of ourselves to do the right thing in this entire mess that Meridian is again. Our standpoints are barely ever identical, but we usually aim to do the same and we can be a good team. Your help won't be forgotten, thank you for giving us some needed details. We now have a clearer idea how to proceed. Thank you for having us. We will be leaving you to rest now. All the very best!"

From the back, Caleb smacked, chewing on the Ero candy:

"No wonder Phobos fell ill to his stomach."- he smacked with displeasure. "What's in this hell of candy, sugar boiled in maple syrup?

A smiling Nerissa offered the hostess one last line, while stroking her son's hair:

"You know, your Majesty. May you really have a son this time. I wish it upon you. Sons are just differently connected to their mothers. They are something else. If only Weira had recognized that, maybe we wouldn't be in this situation today... Anyways; Ta-Ta!"

Seras smiled sadly and even laughed a little:

"When I knew what you were here for, I just had to show you the man behind the monster, so you all can properly protect Meridian. I can't say anything about his wife, as I know nothing of her. I know I tend to ramble, but I am glad I managed to help and should you need any more information from me, then I'll be glad to provide. The candy is made from the crystallized syrup of Ero's national flower and chewing makes it worse."- she told Caleb. "Just let it melt or swallow it like a pill."

She then returned her attention to the group with a warm smile, one last time: "I would be honored to meet my niece and possible see my nephew again. I wish you all well and may the gold gods smile upon your quests."

* * *

Susan Vandom woke up to utter darkness and the humid air of the tiny space she had been thrown into. How had she found herself here!? The last thing she remembered was driving back towards Heatherfield when...

It all came to her. The chain of spikes that had trashed their tires; their fight, Tony had really gotten on her nerves...and last, but not least, the ambush. The ambush that had gotten them into this place and situation.

How long ago had that happened, though? Susan tried to move only to find that her hands had been tied with rough ropes of some sort. She kept fidgeting repeatedly, but it was of no use; she tried to stand up, but was quick to fall back on the cold stone floor, the only thing she could feel in the dark room. Apparently, someone had tied her legs as well. She was tied up like an animal ready for slaughter.

"Hello? Does somebody hear me? Hello! SOMEBODY?!"- her voice, the only thing that she could use without restrictions, came out hoarse and weak, and Susan realized two things. First, her throat felt incredibly dry and second, yelling out for her kidnappers to hear her probably wasn't her best idea. But then again, what else could she do? She couldn't just lie on the ice-cold floor until passing away again...

The woman stopped moving helplessly and listened. Footsteps. She could hear footsteps approaching from the upper floor. She, herself, was in a basement of some sort. That theory was proven once the door up the rough spiral stairs, she had been unaware of up until now, opened, blinding her eyes with all the light it let in. It wasn't much, it was just plain sunlight, but Susan felt like someone had just shone a signal flashlight in her face. God, how long had she been here...

"Hi, Susan. Nice of you to wake up. Tony's been asking about you whole night."

The voice she recognized, even before she turned on the lanky lamp above her head. That godawful beast of a woman...

"Serena, why don't you just DIE, you witch!"- Susan yelled on the top of her lungs, glaring at her. "What have you done this time!?"

Serena looked down at her, not hiding the hateful smirk that overtook her face without a trace of joy. Her face was still beautiful like always, but Susan hated it. She hated everything about that woman, from her dark hair to her youthful petite curves.

"Really, Susan? Where's the fear? Where're the agony and pleadings? The eagerness to do whatever it takes just so that you can go on with your perfect little life? You were awfully good at being an obedient coward in the past, aren't you a little too brave for your own good now?"

Susan clenched her teeth as hard as she could and kept fighting with the ropes again. She would give anything to snap free of them and tackle the bitch down.

"You look like shit. You look old and tired, Susan."- Serena went on, spitefully. "You'll never get to have your little revenge for I poisoned your daughter, oh...ain't it sad? She pulled through, but her baby..."- Serena's eyes shone in grotesque as she tossed her head back and laughed: "Her baby died! She didn't even know she was pregnant, can you believe it-"

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP, MISFORTUNATE EXCUSE OF A WOMAN!"- Susan screamed and kicked violently, desperate to set herself free. "WHAT WOMAN ARE YOU AT ALL?! UNTIE ME AND FIGHT ME! I'LL-"

"You shut up, screwball! What do I look like, a fool like you?"- her abductor shook her head and threateningly pointed at her with the wooden plank she held. "You let me go so many times, because you wanted to prove that you're something better than me, didn't you? You thought you were better, but you're not."- Serena announced, meeting her mad stare. "Your fake sympathy and the disgust which you felt for me were always walking hand in hand."- the younger woman said, starting to go in circles around her prey. "But I don't need your shit. All I need is for you to pay! You and your dickhead of an ex won't pull through this one, you have to pay for all that you've done! Don't look at me like that! You get what you deserve!"

"Oh, my God, WHAT IS WRONG with you?! You killed my daughter's unborn baby, what did Will ever do to you?!"- Susan cried. "You're a monster, Serena, a monster!"

"Shut up!"- Serena warned. "Shut up, or I'll-"

"No, I WILL NOT SHUT UP!"- somehow, in her inconsolable suffering and rage, Susan had managed to set her legs free and now stood on her feet, shaking ever so slightly as she glared at Serena through tears.

The other woman took a step back in utter bewilderment.

"You killed Will's baby!"- Susan repeated, her red eyes pinning Serena down. "WHY?! ANSWER ME!"

"Don't even get me started on your crazy daughter and her friends! They killed Jessie, I'm sure! They...they're lunatics!"

"What?! Your evil brother found his fate after he confessed to murdering Will's child! Why did you do it, Serena, why! You could've have done whatever to me and Tony, I would've taken it, but you hurt my daughter! How could you BOTH sink so low, I spit on you!"

Susan's angry cries made her opponent even more furious, she pointed at her with the plank and yelled:

"I SAID SHUT UP! SHE DESERVED IT!"- she stated in a deathly tone, shocking the older woman to the core. "She deserved it, for she had no respect, no understanding, no nothing! Ever...she hated me since day one, she even ruined my plans to get ahold of the money, despite not needing it! That's the least I could've gotten after what Tony did to me! That's why she deserved it! She didn't even want it!"

But Susan wasn't listening to her anymore. Her fury was about to take over new horizons. She wiped her face with her tied hands, before shouting as loud as her vocal strings allowed her to:

"WELL MAYBE YOU DESERVED TO BE INFERTILE!"

It was Serena's turn to be left speechless. In shock. As she blinked a few times, almost as if she couldn't believe what she had just been told. That was it...their eyes met one last time, before she screamed and swung the plank, hitting the other woman in the face.

The wooden plank broke in two from the impact, but Susan ignored the pain in her left cheek and attacked back with all the might she had left. Her tied hands were like a mace as she struck Serena back, knocking her on the ground, where she straddled her:

"Get off me! You- "

But she couldn't finish, because Susan kept slamming her tied hands in her face, again and again, until Serena passed out in the blood of her own broken nose. She hadn't expected it. No one would, but an angry mother had just done it. She had just beaten the living daylights out of her kidnapper, despite feeling dehydrated and weak. Her anger for all the injustices provoked by Serena had given her powers.

The ropes were finally loose enough, she managed to slip free and ran up the stairs without looking back.

* * *

**_A/N: For more on Meridian's, Phobos's and Nerissa's past, pre-series, check out my newly-updated "The Tears of the Traitress" story. :) See ya soon!_**


	34. Underwater Hysteria

_**Chapter 34: Underwater Hysteria  
**_

_"She loves the serene brutality of the ocean, loves the electric power she felt with each breath of wet, briny air."_  
_― Holly Black, Tithe**  
**_

* * *

"My King. My King that's enough. I'm expecting, after all."- Leonida hardly even tried to hide her irritation as she pushed the semi-naked man off herself.

Phobos grunted but didn't protest. He eyed her stomach and she flashed him a fake smile which he didn't return. He just got off the bed.

"My patience is running dangerously low, Leonida."- he said, making circles around the small bedroom. "I'm tired of waiting. Waiting for justice over 10 years is making me sick. Same can be said about the life of a prisoner. I can't even satisfy my carnal desires... Life has turned into an eternal forfeiture for me."

_Oh, you poor thing,_ the ex-princess thought, stifling her yawn. She stretched and took a more comfortable position without losing his gaze.

"Endure just a little more."- the blonde said conspiratorially

"And then what!?"- Phobos raged, throwing his pillow in the other end of the low-ceiling room. "Then what, you tell me?! I'm losing all hope that what I deserve and desire will ever come back in my hands. I'm losing time for ages! Elyon is and always will be stronger than me, the amount of effort needed to trounce her put together with all the trouble that raising this child will be, are hideously huge! Things shall never be as they used to again!"

Leonida felt an urge to roll her eyes. The closer she was getting to her goals, the more she faced troubles enduring that man's rants and whims. But she shouldn't be doing that; no, she could not afford to be seen out of her role. Not yet. Not now when things were on the verge of happening according to her taste.

"Excuse me just a minute, my King."- she said sweetly and proceeded to exiting the room, leaving Phobos alone with his anguish.

She planned on getting rid of this unwanted onrush of crisis in him the way Cedric used to predispose him. Cedric, that foolish snake. Leonida smirked at the thought of him and once again thanked her luck for getting rid of him on time. He was just another thorn in the heel which she didn't need and now that he was away for good, she had one obstacle less in front of herself. His stash of herbs, however, had been left behind. Leonida had found it. It served her good.

She had just finished brewing the water for the tea she planned to give Phobos, when his sudden appearance in the dimply -lit, tiny kitchen space, scared the living days out of her:

"What are you putting in my beverage?"

Leonida turned around lighting-like, seeing him leaning on the door frame, a look of suspicion on his face. Phobos pinned her down with his cruel green orbs, before she could even gulp. He was approaching her, she had to think fast...

"N-no, my King, I was making tea for myself. These herbs, Elyon left them with me, they're good for the chi-"

"You've been giving me tea at least twice everyday for a while now. Is it not a little too big of a coincidence."- Phobos whispered and came face to face with her. In the dark kitchen, his close presence somehow managed to startle her. Leonida looked away from his eyes, trying to gather her composure.

"Herbs, you said. May I see the herbs which my caring little sister left you with? She wouldn't do it herself, but she is idiotic enough to allow herself to be fooled. What if that hag, the Mage, passed on something poisonous for you too? Let me see!"

The ex-princess looked at him, incredulous. He was concerned for her?! After what he had just seen...could it be that even his threatening glare had morphed into..._care_... Care for her and their unborn. Astounding...

"Leonida!"- Phobos waved his hand in front of her face, loosing patience. "Are you listening to me, silly girl? Show me the herbs Elyon gave you!"

Leonida came back to her senses. She smiled. Now that she had her magic, switching the contents of two little bags was effortless, but she still had to be careful. The prince shouldn't know that she has a part of her powers back...

"It's just peppermint leaves and ginger roots, my King."- she smiled feigningly, showing him the newly-arranged bag. "I don't lack that much common sense, don't worry. I'd never risk our future."

Phobos examined the herbs, the ginger in particular detail. Not tarnal ginger, thankfully...He still remembered the coughing upon taking just a spoon full of that porridge, crammed with the gut-wrenching roots...

Then he looked up at Leonida again:

"Very well. I wanted to...to be sure that the baby is safe. It is very important to us, after all."

Leonida nodded and watched the man retire back to their bedroom for the night. Once she was left alone in the kitchen, she leaned against one of the olden counters, her eyes wandering beyond time and space.

_Zowie, who would've thought, she said to herself. Prince Phobos and care? Concern for someone other than himself? Times really do be changing people in ways which the majority would never consider in the first place. Oh, my King Phobos. I love this new you_. Her lips stretched into a dark smile. _It makes it that much easier for me to control you fully and indefinitely._

* * *

_**Heatherfield, Lair House**_

Anna Banister- Lair turned around in the bed, shooting her husband a playful smile:

"Well, that was fun. Do you have to go though?"

"Trust me, honey, I'd rather stay here and have more fun with you all day and night."- Tom pulled his pants over his boxers as his wife rolled her eyes comically. Men would be men. Rough sex would always be better than sentimental romance to the majority of them. "But alas; duty calls. That dickhead Alexis left the me with work for months to come. But what to do, corrupt cops."

At the mention of the late criminal's name, Anna frowned. She hadn't liked him from the start and had turned out to be right for more than she had anticipated.

"I hate corrupt cops. They always ruin everything and make people hate the police as a whole. Because of people like him you face distrust that's uncalled for."- Anna ranted as she stood up and wrapped herself in her nightgown.

"What to do. Some people abuse their authorities. They use it to get to people or to preach their wrong beliefs about life."

The Latina breathed in agreement as she sat in front of her dressing table, applying lotion on her elbows.

"Yes, but Jessie Alexis's type has to be worst. Speaking bad of the dead is bad by itself, but he? He was an absolute monster. He targeted the Vandoms for that Serena's sake, yet he couldn't even target the one who she actually had beef with."

"You mean Tony Vandom?"- Tom was all set to go. He walked to her side in his uniform. "He's not helping himself by choosing to keep hiding. There's an open case against him; and even though there's not much of evidence, if Serena, who's also hiding, decided to reply to the lawsuit that Susan started, the mess is guaranteed. I don't envy Theresa and the other guys in the judiciary. Their case may go on for years."

Anna's smile quenched at that as she remembered the scene she had witnessed at Susan's house on the night of the Policemen Ball. Tony had been there; Dean and Susan knew of Tony's location, yet they had all chosen not to have him turn in. She hadn't told Tom about it, not so much because she didn't trust him, but because she didn't want to put him in an uncomfortable situation in which he'd have to keep the truth from his colleagues.

Now that he had mentioned it, though, she felt like she had been a bystander for too long. She had to interfere, even if her interjection was unwanted, because she couldn't live with a tainted conscience. She had to at least try...

"Bye honey. See you tonight."- Tom kissed the top of her head. "I hope you'll still be in a naughty mood."

Anna smiled him goodbye, but mentally, she was out of the house before him. The moment her husband left the room, she started getting ready to do the same.

* * *

"What the actual fuck?! Amanda, why didn't you tell me about this earlier? It's been four days, Amanda, why did it take you so long to tell me that my mother never went on a business trip in the first place!? You got scared...Right."- Will tried to restrain her raging emotions and sighed. "OK, Amanda, let it be...I'm sure that everything will be alright, eventually. No, don't apologize, it's not your fault. You were doing what she asked you to. Just call me immediately if you hear from her, OK? Bye."

Will disconnected the call and removed her eyes from the screen of her smartphone, focusing them on her step-father, who was standing in front of the desk in his office, his arms folded on his chest.

"Well?"

"Your wife is insane."- the redhead announced grimly, taking a seat in one of the armchairs nearby. "She purposely made her assistant lie that she's going on a business trip, so that we wouldn't look for her. Thank God Amanda is Amanda; after she couldn't reach her for four days, she called me in panic. I don't know what to do, Dean. I really don't know what to tell you."

"She is with your father, I know it."- Dean shook his head. "He got this crazy idea about getting revenge on Serena in her head. With all the trauma she's been through during the last months, Susan's mental state was more than labile and he took advantage of it...The bad thing is that I'm starting to panic too; four days and no response from her are a lot, Will."

"He's not my father."- Will declared. "You are. You are the best father I could ever have; don't worry. He'll never win her back, nor is she in any real danger, I'm sure of it. She's just being hell of insensitive."

Warmed by her words, the teacher barely managed to contain the happy tear from rolling down his cheek, as he took her hands in his. Their relationship had come a long way since the first day they had met in class, that was for sure. He knew that she had long accepted him as some sort of father figure in her life by now, but hearing her voice it herself felt even better.

"I'm touched, Will, and I love your mother and you. You know that. You two and William are my family; I don't appreciate Tony Vandom by any means, but I can't deny that he does care about you in his own way. He does, you're still his daughter, no matter what, trust me."

Will wanted to protest, but instead she just looked down. Dean was probably right, but admitting it was beyond her power at this point. Beyond her will, whenever it was about Thomas Vandom.

"Don't be afraid to admit it to yourself, you still carry love and concern for him too. It's only natural, sweetie."- Dean smiled at her, rubbing her fingers between his palms. "Tony is a troubled guy, but he's not indifferent to you and Susan, and that's the only reason why I haven't reported her missing yet. I don't know what to do..."

The guardian was just about to say that she didn't care whether the police caught her father or not, when a new female voice from behind, said it instead of her. Well, almost...Father and daughter aimed their attention at the opened door with more than startled expressions:

"You should report her missing, Dean. This is serious. Besides, by escaping prosecution, Tony isn't helping himself, on the contrary."- Anna Bannister tossed her wavy hair back and carefully closed the door behind herself. "I'm sorry I just barged in like that, but I had to speak to you, once I saw the two of you together."- she played with the handle of her purse. She was visibly on pins and needles, much to Will's shock. "May I?"

"Mrs. Lair, it's alright, you know everything about our situation, yet you decided to stay silent for Tony's sake."- the redhead began, but Dean interrupted her:

"Will's right, Anna, and we're beholden to you for that. But why are you saying this...for the sake of the case or because-"

"For everyone's sake!"- Anna exclaimed as she walked in and sat in the second armchair next to Will's. "I want the best for everyone. After what happened because of that dirty man, Alexis, I've been thinking about it a lot, and I decided to talk to Susan about the future. She needed to know that clearing it and sorting out everything, once and for all, is better for her ex-husband, but after I couldn't reach her or find her anywhere, I came here. Hearing that Susan's been missing for _four days_, my hair bristled! Dean, Will; Serena and her brother are dangerous people. Serena is still somewhere out there, don't you see how alarming this is, especially now that Susan's been missing four days?!"

"Mrs. Lair, she's with my horrible father. They're after Serena..."- Will sighed. "I know how it sounds, but-"

But she couldn't finish her objection again:

"Do you think that she...that she might be in actual danger?"- the history teacher whispered. His step daughter moved her eyes from his to her friend's mother and the other way around. They looked absolutely beyond the edge of their own tension.

The Latina frantically shook her head and, in that moment, Will was bedazzled by the astonishing resemblance between her and Irma:

"_Absofuckinglutely!_ I don't want to scare you people, but that Serena is a dangerous street walker. I've seen her in action, she's totally nuts and we shouldn't lose another second in waiting! Will, I understand your doubts, but think about it. You know your mother, whatever she might do that you're not OK with, she's a mother. A mother! Would she ever allow herself to be unreachable for four days in normal conditions? No, she wouldn't. Just give me a sign and I'll call Tom right away. Think about it, pumpkin, but I'm absolutely sure; we have to help your mom before something _irreparable_ happens."

Will looked down and then up again. Her most recent tasks had kept her occupied, but Anna's words really did make her think deeper. Apparently, her dislike for the fact that Susan and Tony were up to stupid stuff together, had created a sense of illusory security for her. Will also knew what edges Serena was willing to reach in the name of her sick ambitions. She turned to Dean, who mentally thanked God for hearing his prayers, when he heard her say:

"Dean, Mrs. Lair makes a very valid point. I think that we should do as she says."

* * *

"Will, don't blame yourself; we were all engulfed by work. The mission on Ero and all that kept us busy."- Taranee tried to soothe her friend's nerves, one hour post her learning that her mother's phone had been last detected aside from the highway with Midgale, four days ago. "We're going to find them."

"She took them. I just know it."- Will just said dryly, making Taranee and Hay Lin look at each other helplessly. They all knew it, it was pointless to deny it, because any other alternative wasn't any better anyway.

Matt was driving towards the place where Susan's smartphone had been detected last, even faster than the police cars, if that was possible. His portable sportscar was practically _flying._

Inside with him, Hay Lin, Taranee and Irma sat on the backseat, while Will rode in the front next to the driver. Her face was slowly starting to resemble that she had carried for weeks upon losing her unborn baby, and that terrified Hay Lin:

"Will, I know that it's scary. It's always scary when it's about your mom and dad, but don't forget who we are and what we can do. We will find them, I promise you. We'll find them and it will all be alright-"

Will took a deep sigh:

"It never really is, with my family. Don't worry about me, I'm fine. And I still believe."- she turned to her friends. "I still believe in justice."

* * *

_**Paris, France**_

Cornelia woke up early that morning. She spent an hour in the hotel gym and then 20 minutes in the sauna before taking a quick cold shower. A big day was in front of her, and hence, she wanted to be in the perfect shape for it. Over the years, she had broken out of habit, but now that she was sleeping alone for the first time in ages, she had quickly forced herself to get up fast and get to business. It was easier without someone like Caleb tugging on her, drowning her with endearments and kisses. He was especially affectionate in the mornings, humping on her leg and keeping her in bed forever. Cornelia smirked as she thought of the sex machine that she lived with. But it was not like she was complaining, not at all. She loved their morning routine on her fiancé's half days, his tender loving touch and fierce, passionate grips; every moment of the life with their baby son was also amazing. It was just that now, when she was in Europe to work, alone, she also enjoyed the solitude and the fact that there was no one to slow her down.

But Caleb had found a way to be a part of her morning nonetheless. Cornelia was just exiting the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her slender body, when her Iphone rang. It was around 7:30 AM in Paris.

"Caleb?"- Cornelia exclaimed, seeing his image in the FaceTime feature. "Isn't it like, night back there? Why are you up so late?"

She positioned the phone on the vanity, propped up against one of her bags, as she seated herself in front of the big mirror and let her long, wet hair down from the big towel.

"Hi to you too."- he retorted. "You're looking fine."

"Don't I?"- she beamed, busy with looking at her own reflection. "Are you alone there?"

From what she could see, the man was lying on their bed. She could recognize her Persian couverture anywhere.

"Duh, just myself here. And your son sleeping in his crib."

"Good."- Cornelia said and allowed her towel to slide down from her upper body. It had been too loose anyway.

Caleb's soft moan of approval was quick to come. Cornelia blew him an air-kiss and proceeded to applying oil to the lengths of her blond hair.

"Yeah, you bet you're fine... You're over the whole time difference thing, huh? Where are you off to now, your interview?"

"Yeah. Urgh, don't even mention that! I had the worst jet-lag yesterday."- the woman complained while combing her hair out with a big transparent comb. "I hadn't flown on a plane in forever. But now I'm much better and I'm getting ready. Hey, should I wear my hair straight or should I curl it?"

Seeing her fiancé getting carried away, she rolled her eyes:

"Would you stop staring at my boobs and start giving me answers? You didn't even tell me what you're doing up this late. You usually like to go to sleep early so that you can get up early?"

"Sorry, I'm just tired and easily distracted by tits."- Caleb snorted, trying to rub the sleep away from his eyelids. "I'm up because we've been on alert mode all day."

"Why, trouble on Meridian _again_?"

"No. It's Will's parents. Apparently, someone abducted them. Everyone suspects Serena, but you know how it is. Earth authorities still have nothing in particular."

_"What?!"_

Cornelia was shocked by what she had just heard and took the phone in her hands, bringing it closer to her face.

"Yeah, it's quite disturbing. Susan and Tony went after Serena, but she was the one who got them."

"This is beyond insolent of her! Did the girls try their magic? The Heart or-"

"They did, but the Heart has been acting weird all day. It decided to run low on power in the worst possible moment."- Caleb tried to suppress his yawn. "We've been trekking the area around the place where the alleged abduction happened all day-"

"Oh, my God."- Cornelia covered her mouth with her hand. "This is my fault, isn't it?"

"What? What are you talking ab-"

"The five guardians have to be together to use their powers most efficiently. I left Heatherfield in the worst possible moment and that's why the Heart's betraying us."- she bit her lip with concern, but her boyfriend interrupted her, peeved:

"Don't talk nonsense, Cornelia! You've done nothing wrong. That's why the girls didn't want to tell you! Anyway, listen to me. We trekked the area, we found this abandoned farmhouse which looked like it had been used recently. There were ropes and blood on numerous places."

"Blood?!"

"Not too much. Relax. Hay Lin caught on Susan's essence, but she lost it somewhere near the nudist beaches in the outskirt coast side of Midgale... "- Caleb was fighting his body to keep his eyes open at this point. "Mom and dad returned from Meridian late in the evening, now mom's making a locating potion or whatever. Don't worry, things will be fine here. I hate to tell you all this right before you go to your interview, but I wanted you to hear it from me and brace yourself before opening up your phone in a wrong moment; the story of Susan and Tony Vandom's disappearance is all over the local news web pages and social media...Sorry."

Cornelia took a deep breath.

"No, you did good, baby. Thanks for letting me know everything. You're right, I guess that if I had opened this story right before entering the room for the interview or something, I would've totally lost it."

Caleb smiled groggily.

"Good. Now leave all this aside, promise that you'll be strong and confident and go rock them."

"I will."

"And don't blame yourself for anything. It's not your fault. We'll find them."

Cornelia tossed her wet hair back and held her phone with a firm hand.

"OK, I won't, don't worry. Go to bed."- she smiled at his grinning, half-asleep image. "I'll talk to you later. I love you."

"Love youuu."- Caleb smacked the screen of his phone before dropping it next to himself and closing his eyes.

The Earth guardian took a minute to look at his image lovingly before disconnecting the call. Caleb had always been amazing- so full of ardent, passion and love. There was a soft side to him, beside that strong warrior energy which he exuded. She could barely wait to be back by his side again.

* * *

_**Heatherfield**_

"She could've come back for ten minutes! Then she could've teletransported back, it's not like it's impossible!"- Irma fumed from the lid of the car she was sitting on. "But noo, you said no. We could've at least tried it...You girls just make everything ten times harder for no reason."

"Quit it out, Irma!"- Taranee couldn't hold back anymore. She turned back and glared at the water-witch: "We all agreed, plus Will insisted on it- Cornelia won't be bothered until she's done with her job. She's doing something for herself and her future, and we don't have the right to be selfish!"

"Especially since Will said so. This is about her parents."- Hay Lin added despondently. "What do you want to do, upset her even more?"

Irma sighed and gave up on justifying her suggestion. Taranee and Hay Lin would never stop thinking of her ways of offering help as too intrusive. They all waited for a couple more minutes, in total silence.

The three cars, Irma's silver Acura MDX, Taranee's 2018 Lexus ES and Eric's classic BMW, were all parked in a circle like composition near the docks. It was chilly, even though they were about to enter the month of March. Dusk had long fallen. They had tried everything during the last hours, up to the point where they had actually stumbled upon undeniable clues. Susan's broken, tossed aside phone near the highway and the abandoned farmhouse where they had found ropes and blood...Irma shook her head. If last summer someone had told her about all the trouble Serena would get to creating in the future, she would've taken her off that damn plane herself.

The figure that teletransported nearby, caught Eric by surprise; he almost fell to the ground.

"About time."- Irma commented, forcing Martin to shut her up with an embrace. Even he knew when she had to keep quiet by now.

Nerissa didn't pay attention to her. She straightened the collar of her trench coat and held a small vial up for everyone to see.

"Your locator potion."- she announced as Blunk stirred behind her empowering figure. "I've also brought you an additional nose. Where's Will?"

"She had to be here already, I don't know why-"- Taranee began saying, but that was when they all heard the tires of a fast approaching car.

Matt's car lined up with the rest of their vehicles.

"Sorry I'm late, I had to talk to the police about my mother again."- Will explained as she exited the car.

"But now we're here to find Susan and Tony ourselves."- Matt suggested optimistically. "Isn't that right, Nerissa?"

Nerissa didn't retort, she simply made Will a sign to come closer.

"Your mother's belonging."- she stretched her hand out expectantly, barely waiting for the redhead to place a little cross shaped chain in her palm.

"She wears this all the time."- the keeper explained.

The Mage nodded and then let a few drops of the potion fall on the golden chain. It took the magic but a few moments to start working. First the necklace started to glow, then it slowly lifted itself up in the air until it was above the group's heads. Susan's cross started to spin around its own orbit for a few minutes and then...then it fell back in Will's palm.

"Woow. What a trick! Where's your tip jar, Mage?"

"Wow, what just happened?"- Eric interfered. "Wasn't this supposed to like...lead us to Mr. and Mrs. Vandom?"

"Is something wrong?"- Taranee added, looking at Nerissa who just frowned harshly. Taranee pursed her lips. She was always quite irritated by the fact that Nerissa knew so much more about magic.

"Nothing's wrong with my potion."- the ex-guardian snapped. "It never fails to trace anyone by their possessions."

"Oh, yeah? Then what happened just now."- Irma didn't remain obligated.

Nerissa gave her a death glare before giving her questions further thought.

"Wait a minute..."- Will began, feeling her throat close at a sudden dark thought. "Does this mean that she..."

"No, it does not mean that your mother's dead."- Nerissa rolled her eyes. "Even if she was, the potion would've at least led us to her body. It hardly even moved. Therefore, the case is different."

_Insensitive much_. Taranee shook her head, but said nothing. She just looked at the evening sky and the stars, thinking about all she and her friends had to go through in life, because of being guardians...

"Then what does it mean, that's she's too far away?"- Matt inquired, rubbing the slightly relieved Will's shoulders.

"No, dear heart. The chainlet didn't even start a journey, it just fell back. That only happens if..."- Nerissa made a brief pause.

"If?"- Hay Lin prompted her, holding her boyfriend's hand close to her concerned face.

"...if the searched object is under the patronage of one of the four elements."- the ex-guardian finished thoughtfully, baffling the others.

"Huh? Say wha-"

"Of course."- Nerissa kept narrating, more to herself than to the rest. "When the old emperor locked the four dragons away, he locked the borders of their powers. When one of them had food, they couldn't share it with the others. Not before the nymph united them in the Heart, which is profoundly ineffective today-"

"Get to the point!"- Irma raged. She was so annoyed with everything; she really didn't have the desire to listen to Nerissa's crap in addition. "Susan's under the patronage of one of the elements, what is that supposed to mean!? Since when does Serena have control over the elements? Which element?! Can't you get one simple thing described thoroughly?"

The older woman offhandedly pulled the jewel around Will's neck out of her blouse, and added a few drops of her potion on it. The Heart glowed and changed colors before their baffled eyes.

"Whoa."- Matt protested, but was cut short. "Why- "

Eric whistled under his nose. Irma was the one left most smitten:

"What the..."

"It is as you heard me say, fool. She's under the patronage of one of the elements. _Your element_."- Nerissa looked at her coldly, as Irma moved her shocked eyes from the Heart which had focused its light on her, to the others. "According to the Heart, water veils Susan's location from the common seeker, but thankfully, we have the guardian of water here, now, don't we?!"

"What games are you playing again!?"- the water-witch spat, rebelling in Martin's arms. "Why can't you be open and fucking nice to us for once?! Just speak without mockery or riddles!"

"None, I play no games with you, you mannerless whelp." - Nerissa retorted coldly, pursing her creamy red lips. "I'm out here helping you; you fail to appreciate everything I do."

"Well, maybe if you stopped doing everything with such evident aversion!"- Irma didn't remain obligated. "All you're up for is belittling us each time, that's the only reason you help us, you wanna constantly feel like you're something more! I just want you keep in mind how many times we came out as cleverer in recent times. Your reluctance, honey, it's as if you'd poison us with a glance if you could-"

"Enough, both of you."- Matt demanded, but his interjection turned out to be pointless. The quarrel would be halted either way when in the next minute Will's mobile rang.

"Great."- she murmured. "It's an unknown number."

"Pick up, kid."- Jim, her Samsung, advised her. The guardians, who could hear him, looked at each other. "It's important. Put on loud speaker."

Will looked at her friends before fulfilling Jim's request with a tightened Heart. Nerissa removed her glare from Irma, fastened her trench coat and listened in silence together with everyone else:

"Hello?"

"_Will. Will listen to me very carefully and calmly, sweetie. I have only five minutes._"- Susan Vandom's voice was trembling.

"Will's mamma!"- Blunk exclaimed quietly.

"Mom!"- Will yelped, her heart racing fast. "Mom, where are you? What's going on?!"

"_Will, I only have 5 minutes before this phone becomes unusable! P-please, listen to me._"- her mother cried from the other line.

The redhead and her friends, who were all hearing the call, exchanged shocked glances that just displayed how much they didn't know what to do. Even Nerissa looked puzzled at the next words:

_"She is a monster, a monster! She kidnapped me and your father; I-I made things worse, because I attacked her. But I couldn't control myself, honey, the way she spoke...I wanted to kill her! B-but her goons caught me when I returned for Tony...she was very angry, Will. She tormented, drugged and abused us, and when we she thought it to be enough, we refused to give her the amount of money which she needed to flee the country and start a new life. That made her go insane! She s-said...she s-said that she would kills us. Then, about half an hour ago, when the sleeping drugs' efficiency was over, she put c-cloths over our eyes again, she moved us; she put us in something like a box and then injected us again. Previously, we were in a dark cellar...an old dark wine cellar... T-the last thing which I recall was her instructions about the five-minute call. S-she wanted you to hear us d-dying, Will...she-she's the devil!"_\- Susan was hysterical, but her daughter could feel herself getting close to the similar state.

The uncertainty...being unable to help her parents in a critical moment like this, not knowing where to look or what to do, combined with the terrible suspense, made the redhead sick to her gut. Serena had done this to them, but how could she stop her when the bitch aimed for her parents?! When she was in the dark, despite her powers...

_I can't help my own parents, despite being a guardian_, Will thought despondently. _This is the end. This is my end..._

"Mrs. Vandom, this is Taranee, we're all searching for you, the police is searching for you too, remain calm!"- Taranee interjected when Susan's horrified mutters became unreadable. "Serena kidnapped you near the Midgale highway and then held you hostage in an abandoned farm shed. Then what happened? Where did she take you, stay calm!"

In the meantime, Jim had sent all the data he could get from the device the woman had called from, sending it to Martin's open laptop. He was already recording it too. The most which the phone could do for his disturbed owner, the guardian of Quintessence, was done. In his turn, the young man feverishly typed something, balancing his device on the truck of the car. He was trying to locate Susan's whereabouts, but it was harder said than done; she was calling from somewhere where the service was extremely bad and apparently though an old contraption...

"_S-she, she blindfolded us, we moved, I don't know where..."_\- Susan stammered. _"I don't know! Oh, my God, it says that I have 3 minutes left..."_

"But, Mrs. Vandom, did you hear something?! Try to remember."- Hay Lin interjected.

"I..I heard cars; I heard seagulls and a horn! I heard a horn-"- Susan stammered.

"Sounds like some sort of port. The dockside? That might be here!"- Eric suggested and his girlfriend nodded. She thought so too, as the wielder of all sounds transmitted through the air. Susan's description sounded exactly like the dockside. But why had Serena taken them there?

"Susan, where are you now? Try to look around yourself."- Matt demanded. "We're all here, don't lose hope and have faith. We will find you, just gives all that you've got-"

"_I-I don't know, Matt!_"- the woman cried. Her terrified voice made Will's heart tighten. Her mother was so afraid, all she wanted was to protect and calm her down. But who would calm her? She was shivering at this point. She had a terrible foreboding... "_I'm in a..in a box or something...it's dark. It's dark and it's so unusually soundless...it's like there's nothing around me..."_

"Soundless..."- Hay Lin repeated, confused. No place on Earth was absolute soundless. Where could Mrs. Vandom be? "Do you hear nothing, Mrs. Vandom? Absolutely nothing?"

"_Absolutely nothing! Nothing! It's like I'm in a vacuum, it's almost deafening!_"- Susan blurted. "_I'm scared. I can't push this box open, no matter how hard I try. It's wooden, it looks like a crate or something, I don't get it! It feels like, it feels like I'm moving...moving towards the ground, so slowly...It's terrible, I want to be out of here. I want to hold my babies! G-god I want to be with my family..._"

"Susan, don't cry, everything will be fine."- Taranee insisted, even though she was terribly spooked by the situation as a whole.

Just then, another unknown number called Will's phone. Jim managed to merge the two calls:

"_Will? Will is that you?_"- Tony Vandom's voice was the very next nail of shock that got hammered in her heart. Will's jaw hung open:

"Dad?!"

"_Finally! Will, I have five minutes. She's playing games with us._"- Tony appeared to be better collected than his ex-wife, even though his unrest could be heard in his voice. "_She wants us to be scared and to suffer, but I'm sure that we'll be alright. Whatever you do, you have to save your mother's life. Fuck me, I'll be alright. I'm scared for her._"

"_T-tony_?!"- Susan sobbed. "_Tony, don't talk like that_..."

"_Susan_?!"- he exclaimed from his side of the call. "_Susan where are you?! Are you OK_?!"

"_We got in this together, we have to e-exit it together. I don't know where I am!_"- Susan cried. "_I don't know...I'm so scared_."

Will put her hand on her mouth as Taranee briefly explained to her parents about the merged calls thing. This right here was the absolute worst situation she had even been in. Both her parents had only minutes left to talk to her. Both of them in danger and scared, somewhere away. Somewhere where Serena could hurt them and she, the keeper of the Heart, was powerless against it. And that terrible feeling of dread stuck in her throat that insisted she has little to no time to act...Will felt like she would die right there and then. If she lost her parents to Serena's revenge, she would die. The pain would be too much...

"_I don't want to scare any of you, but this five-minute thing she has thought of discourages me._"- Tony's voice admitted. "_I'm rammed in some box, I don't know...these phones, this whole scenario...it makes me think that she has set a bomb of some sort-_"

"_Oh, my God!_"- Susan cried in terror.

"_Relax, Susie-Q, I might be wrong_."- Tony said quickly. "_It also feels like I'm moving...Like I'm sinking into something, isn't it crazy_?

"_Same here_."- Susan sobbed. "_I've got 40 seconds, if I don't see you again, know that I love all of you. I love you!_"

"_Don't talk like that, Susan, we'll be fine!_"- Tony scolded her and then went on, quickly: "_I don't know, kids, think about it. I'm sure you can find us; I really don't know what that whore has done with us, but I can't open this square that I'm in even if my life depended on it. It's mere wood, but it feels like steel!_"

"Wait."- Taranee said. "You feel like you're what? Like your sinking?"

Tony seemed to think about it for a second or two:

"_Yeah, it's very odd...it's this...this feeling that I'm suddenly weightless. But it doesn't stop and I can't hear anything_-"

Irma had walked away from the group. Little to no time was left till the phones Serena had given them died, but she had this sudden attraction. Attraction to the ocean behind her. As if it was _calling_ her. Irma took another step towards the dark waters as the cold wind blew her hair back.

Nerissa turned around and noticed the water guardian's change of position. She squinted her eyes, moving them from the younger woman to the ocean...Susan's time had just ended. Matt was trying to calm the redhead down and everyone's tension and suspense grew, hers included, but Irma's actions interested her greatly at that moment. And then, something in her head clicked:

"Wait a damn minute, you feel something, don't you?! Your element that veils their location, that's what this means! That's why the Heart pointed at you, why the locator's had no effect...that's where they are! Underwa-"

In a swift second, Irma turned around in shock. Nerissa's words were that deaf current she had been hearing in her head the entire time, translated.

"Well?! Stop wasting time, feel it! Tell us!"- the ex-guardian insisted, her wide eyes on Irma. "Tell us, fool, only you will know for sure!"

"Oh."- the Latina muttered, the grave realization sinking in her mind. "Oh, shit..."

"What?"- Tony wanted to know. "What's going on?"

Everyone was staring at Irma at that moment.

"What are you trying to- "- Taranee began and just stopped. She had also gotten their idea and the way it all started to unfold in front of her eyes made her gasp in horror: "Oh, my God! No way...but it fits to the story...the dockside, that's why they were here. That's where they took off..."

"...the sounds which Mrs. Vandom heard were the sounds she was last exposed to."- Hay Lin went on. "That also explains the stillness around them- "

"And why they're undetectable by both magic and technology."- Nerissa frowned. "God..."- Blunk hid behind her in his own fear.

But the fear was for everyone to feel. The nastiest of terrifying feelings nested in their minds as they came to realize the bitter truth:

"And the reason why they can't open their boxes is the pressure, isn't it."- Will gasped aghast, having followed their thoughts. "T-that's why their sinking they're...they- "

Eric and Martin looked smitten to the core. Matt stood like he couldn't move, as Tony's phone call, muted the moment magic had been mentioned, was cut short for good; it all made sense. It all fitted so well, it was so unfortunate and scary, but it did, and everyone knew it at that point...

"That crazy hoe threw them _in the ocean_."- Irma finished the grave conclusion, turning back to stare at the cold, dark still waters together with the rest of her horrified friends. "She left them to die under tons of deep, black, cold water..."

* * *

"Will, Will look at me- "- Taranee tried not to lose it while she spoke to her friend, who was irresponsive ever since Irma had departed. Taranee was shivering despite her big beige woolen sweater and the denim jacket she wore on top. She was trying to get Will to keep having faith, but so far, she couldn't tell whether her attempts meet any success or not. "Will, please stay with us, don't fall in desperation right now, we will save them!"

The scenario that they had found themselves with was indeed more than horrific, she had to admit to that. Knowing that two people, Will's parents for Pete's sake, were sinking deeper and deeper into the dark, cold ocean was more than terrifying. Taranee couldn't imagine a normal person dealing with it, even they, who had incredible powers and magic on their side were facing great difficulties with rescuing the Vandoms.

_A nightmare_, Taranee thought. _This is just a nightmare. Poor Will..._

"It's not the time to be weak."- Nerissa said coldly shaking her shoulders. "Stand up and use your brain. Use all that's necessary to be of any use at all."

Taranee and Hay Lin stared at her in bewilderment. Taranee was about to stop the ex-guardian from being so darn insensitive and inappropriate, but for some reason Hay Lin knew she had to stop her and she did. She caught her hand and pulled her back to herself.

_\- She's reaching to her. Let them be. It might actually help her..._

Will looked up at the brunette with red eyes:

"Weak?"- she yelled. "My parents might be taking their last breaths as we speak! How can you expect of me to hold back? They might be getting crushed by pressure, fighting with the deep ice waters where they have no chance to make it to the top. How am I supposed to react, knowing all this?! Knowing that I'm powerless to help them? Weak...easy for you to say when it's not your close ones!"

"And how did you decide that you're powerless?"- Nerissa shook her head tartly. "You dense girl, are you still unaware of the immense powers which you have? You're the keeper of the Heart of Kandrakar! The Heart of Kandrakar!"

"The Heart betrayed me!"- Will spat bitterly. "It couldn't even transform us, what is left be of any help!"

It was true, Irma had been the only one who had managed to get her transformation that day when the Heart was running low on power. She and Matt had flown out to try to detect Susan and Tony's locations. Knowing that Irma could sense them through her element was the last hope which Will carried. What was Nerissa even talking about, she knew that full well!?

Taranee, Hay Lin and the rest of the group had been left to wait at the dockside. Currently, they were in the old, unusable parts of the old loading area. Stuck to wait. Wait and do nothing; they couldn't even contact the police. How could they contact them? What would they say? What was the point at all...If Irma couldn't save her parents than no one could.

But what Nerissa did next was the next big shocker that evening. It had been literal minutes since Irma and Matt left, minutes which she had spent observing Will with a deep, spiteful scowl. She had observed her breaking down, helpless and too shocked to do anything, and she hadn't liked what she had seen. Obviously. But the slap which she gave her replacement next was the least expected following reaction. Her long firm fingers slashed the redhead's cheek furiously.

Hay Lin gasped in shock:

"NERISSA! What the actual hell?!"- Taranee roared, outraged, but Nerissa ignored her completely. All her anger was focused at Will, who turned back to her in bafflement, her hand on her red cheek:

"You FOOL! I REFUSE to believe that after so many years you're still such a pathetic wimp! The Heart didn't betray you, you betrayed it! You've stopped believing in it, by stopping to believe in your own self!"- she spat ardently. "I've been watching you degrade more and more, but I can't _bear_ to look at you anymore! It's your parents that are in grave danger, wake the fuck up, moronic girl! Don't just stand there! If it had been _me_, I would've made the world turn the other way by now! I-"

"I'm NOT YOU! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU ACTUALLY SLAPPED ME!"- Will yelled back, glaring daggers at her. She pushed her back with both her hands, but Nerissa didn't bulge. Her voice was so loud, the words she was saying were barely understandable at this point: "YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH, DON'T YOU DARE CRITICIZE ME! WHAT KIND OF HEARTLESS MONSTER ARE YOU?!"

"QUIT MAKING EXCUSES FOR YOURSELF!"- Nerissa shouted in response nailing her index finger in the younger woman's shoulder. "Oh, you think that slap was outrageous? I will drag you through this entire lot if you don't stop being such an abject sook! You're THE KEEPER OF THE HEART! ACT LIKE IT!"- her voice thundered like the sky during a summer storm and her green eyes threw lighting-like glares. Taranee and Hay Lin were totally out of their league, in the background with the two men, as the two keepers yelled at each other:

"FUCK OFF, YOU HAG, YOU WERE THE KEEPER AND YOU FAILED, DON'T TRY TO TEACH ME BECAUSE YOU CLEARLY CAN'T!"- Will kept screaming. She was out of breath at this point. She barely ever allowed herself to fall into such hysteria, but this time she was beside herself. As if what was happening to her parents wasn't enough, Nerissa had decided to be unbearable too. How dare she?! Did she enjoy this?! "Your time is long over, stop trying to relive your days as lead guardian through me and my troubles! You don't know what you're talking about!"

"How stupid can you get?"- Nerissa raged. "It's not about me, it's about YOU! You're so busy pitying yourself, aren't you? Let me tell you, once you lose your parents to your sheer idiocy, you won't be able to look at your reflection ever again! You think that you've been through a lot? Try living with the guilt of someone's death that you've done nothing to prevent! You brat, your parents need your powers and those of the Heart, they don't need your sorry cowardice! -"

"Quit projecting the story of _your_ life on the wall of _mine_!"- Will hissed against her, her tears streaming down her face. "That was what happened to you! I'm doing all that I can, I can't do anything more!"

"Yes, what's about to happen to you is going to be much WORSE if you keep being such a pathetic excuse of a guardian!"- the older woman sneered. "Of course, you can do more, you're not even trying! Get over yourself. Be worthy or be gone!"

Overtaken by a new surge of fury, the redhead spat in response:

"PLEASE, POST THANOS, YOU NEVER EVEN CARED WHETHER YOUR PARENTS WERE DEAD OR ALIVE! YOU'RE THE LAST PERSON TO PREACH CHILD TO PARENT LOVE TO ME!"

For a moment, Nerissa stopped at the low blow. She had been the one to tell the younger woman that last summer. But then she just laughed coldly and came dangerously close to her replacement:

"You're such a little bitch, you're making it greatly hard for those who are helping you."- her eyes pinned her down coldly as her hand rested on her shoulder in a patronizing manner. "But I'm not going to leave you alone, I'll be your biggest hater until you learn from all the past mistakes."

"HOW THE HELL ARE YOU HELPING ME?! WHICH MISTAKES? MY MISTAKES OR YOURS?!"

Their eyes met, a stigmatizing glance. Then Nerissa grabbed her by the collar and shook her:

"If you don't get yourself together, you don't deserve to hold the Heart, nor do you deserve to be a guardian! Remember that"- she finished in a low voice, but suddenly stopped again, shocked to see that Will had stopped pulling for freedom. She had left herself in her hands and was just looking through her.

Clenching her teeth, Nerissa slapped her across the face again, despite her friends' protests. Taranee couldn't just stand and watch this any longer, she made her way to protect Will, but the taller woman lifted her hand and slammed all four of the bystanders, together with the poor Blunk, into the wall of the wooden tilt behind them. Their interference was highly unwelcome right now. She then dragged the still Will and pushed her. Into the water. The redhead had tried to stir and pull back, but she had lost balance; Nerissa had pushed her too hard and it resulted in her big splash. Hay Lin's scream of shock got stuck in her throat:

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!"- Will coughed as she came back to the surface, spitting the cold water that she had just swallowed. "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!"

"If you're not going to be doing anything, you might as well kill yourself."- Nerissa retorted coldly, looking down at the girl behind the edge of the dock. "Your apathy results in that illusory sense of helplessness that holds you in its claws, and it disgusts me. You have turned into a purposeless dolt and if you can't help your parents then you will forever remain that. Tell me, Will. What's the point of you then?"

* * *

Flying above the dark ocean at night was especially terrifying, even to the guardian of water herself. The view was a lot too handle; dark, unknown and inspiring true awe. What was more, she knew that at a certain point, she'd have to actually use her powers to dive in and breath under the tons of water while trying to get a hold of two boxes, sinking deeper and deeper in.

According to Martin's tracking attempts, Susan and Tony were in two separate objects, approximately near to each other, sinking in at a speed which she had barely understood by his words:

_"First I must calculate the weight of the sinking object in Newtons."- the man had started. "Calculate for the buoyancy of water. Using the formula BF = Vdg where V is the volume of the object, d is the density of the water, and g is the acceleration due to gravity. I use g = 9.8 m/s^2. Then subtract the weight of the sinking object from the buoyant force of water to get the net force acting on the sinking body. I calculate for the acceleration of the sinking body by dividing the net force by its mass expressed in kg..."_

_"This is not the science fair, Martin, get to the point!"_\- Irma had interrupted him, irritated.

At the end, she knew that she had to listen to her element and connect to it in order to get to the objects of search. Neither maths, nor science could help her for that. She had to rely on her magic, which had proven to be quite touchy, considering that the water still gave her no signs or indications, despite her attempts to connect to it. Maybe she wasn't doing it right, she didn't know...It was her fucking element, after all, wasn't it supposed to make the first steps?! Irma cursed her fate for putting her in such a traumatic situation where both parents of one of her best friend's lives depended on her.

"Did you feel anything yet? Where can they be, she can't have dropped them at the middle of the ocean, she's wanted, she probably rowed or something...She can't have rented a bigger boat-"

Matt's jittery comments definitely weren't helping her. Irma made a face at him in his Shagon form.

"Yeah, then how do you explain her having goons and everything? She obviously has the needed resources to do all this shit, I really doubt that she just had the two of them thrown from the docks. Matt, just be quiet and let me do my thing."

"I understand that, but you must understand that we have very limited time."- he flipped his big wings next to her. "We can't afford to be late, if anything, the pressure might crush them while we're up here. We have to hurry up, Irma, its Will's parents that are in question. I can't let them die! I'd never forgive myself if I did."

Irma sighed, knowing that he was right. She understood him and more than anything wanted to prevent that from happening with Mr. and Mrs. Vandom, but what could she...Suddenly, Irma had an idea. A feeling of sorts. The ocean had called her. It wanted her to dive in. It wanted to tell her more.

"Wait here."- she told Matt before taking a deep breath, flying head first in the dark waves.

It wasn't necessary for her to hold her breath, she was aware, because the minute she was under the surface of the water, it encircled her loyally, preserving the oxygen in an erratic, but prominent, forcefield-like aura that went around her entire body. Like a water suit that surrounded her, protecting her from the cold and the pressure, which kept increasing as she allowed herself to sink down. Water was her element. Her element would never betray her trust.

Now that she was traveling to the core of the depths, she no longer felt any fear. She only felt all the water's care, vast and power, fueling her own stamina, but overwhelming her at the same time...

Irma relaxed and listened to the deaf currents and every little movement of the waters, all around herself. Flowing with the waves, her hearing and her sight expanded, going all around the depths. Every little corner of the at-sight infinite ocean, was opening to her will and her mind could visualize everything around her. It was an overwhelming, but empowering feeling as she felt herself able to explore kilometers upon kilometers of water width without moving from her place...

A few minutes had already passed without her being able to tell just how much of the enormous ocean she had managed to connect to. It was most probably just a little district of the ocean vast, but her all-seeing inner eye caught a sight of them. At last. Two crates, enveloped in steel...on the bottom?! No, it wasn't the bottom of the ocean, it was an underwater elevation. Irma smiled happily; Serena had managed to drop the two crates exactly above a huge ocean elevation, like a mountain underwater...Thanks to that, the two crates had managed to remain whole, without bursting because of the high pressure, which they hadn't managed to reach. They rested quietly, a few meters from each other, but the oxygen in them was surely quickly evaporating.

Irma had seen them in her mind, now she closed her eyes and concentrated. She concentrated on the two boxes that contained Susan and Tony and teletransported. When she opened her eyes, she was standing on the same elevation, between the two. Irma breathed in relief. Alright; the hardest she had already done- she had found them in the vast ocean thanks to the power surge she had felt while flying above the surface. It had been like something had provoked her to become one with her element. Now she had to get the Vandoms out of here. Out of the ocean depths and hopefully with the same mad luck that had helped them not to keep sinking towards deeper ends...Irma looked up and felt the urge to whistle under her nose. The dark waters were endless; the surface was no near sight...they were most probably already at least 20 stories under water...

Holding on the two boxes, struggling to push them closer to herself and in her reach, Irma tried to lift them up, stepping on the gritty surface of the underwater hill for support. But it was a done deal- even though water usually reduced the weight of things, swimming up while holding the two massive crates was impossible. Then she had a new thought; she could use her powers to make the ocean throw them out. But then again, then she'd still have to carry the crates...And she had no idea how far from the dockside they had actually ended up, her water scanning never left her with any particular data coordinates. Even if it did, she wouldn't remember them for the love of Jesus...There was also Matt who she had to tell before returning to the docksides, after all he was still waiting for her above the night ocean...

_Come, on, Irma, think_, the Latina strained herself. _You have to hurry up, the Vandoms have been underwater for too long now, their oxygen is definitely low... THINK!_

\- _You could've just teletransported, you know_.- Taranee's voice suddenly sounded in her head.- _But nonetheless, you made it, Irma, you found them. Good job! Look behind yourself!_

Irma turned around, bedazzled, coming face to face with a large vision fold in which she could see her friends.

"Oh."- she muttered. "Yeah, that's right. How did you...Never mind, Matt should-"

"We will get to Matt, get the boxes through the fold and come out of it yourself."- Taranee urged her and Irma didn't waste anymore time.

She used her waterkinesis to fire the two crates towards the open fold; she was next to follow.

In the next moment, it closed behind herself- her magic water forcefield-suit disappeared and she found herself near the abandoned part of the docks, where she had last left her friends.

Taranee checked her watch. 21 minutes since Tony's call had been cut. Hay Lin patted Irma's back:

"Good job, Irma."- she was almost out of breath from tension. "You're amazing!"

"Ah, well, you know."- the Latina smiled nervously, looking at Will. "My element and stuff. Let's open them up!"

Quickly, they all gathered around the two crates. Taranee's green fire melted the steel parts away in seconds as it got through the wood and made it crack open. Everyone watched every next move without even having the time to breathe.

Once the boxes were ready to be easily opened, Will got her hands on them and did it; she pulled the lids, cut in by Taranee, with a racing heart and just stared inside. She hoped that they were OK; what had just happened to them was among the absolute worst she had ever imagined. She hoped that her parents were still alright, despite being submerged into the depths of the ocean in boxes, for over 20 minutes... According to Martin and Taranee's calculations, that was still possible, right? They had to be alright, they just had to.

The lids were removed for good. The crates were deprived of all their additional coverage.

"Oh, my dear God..."_  
_


	35. Rending Feelings

_**Chapter 35: Rending Feelings**_

_"I knew what you were all about,_

_and as if you're the only one out there,_  
_I wanted you at all costs,_  
_I wanted you for the memories__..."_

* * *

"They will be alright, right?"- Will almost demanded, as she looked the doctor right in the eye.

A little over an hour had passed since her parents had been rescued in critical condition. What had happened post opening the crates they had been in, was utterly chaotic. The police and a number of ambulances had arrived almost at once; The girls and their boyfriends had no choice but to report the case, her parents had been irresponsive and already proclaimed missing...

Struggling to get their heads around what exactly has happened, the investigators had been dumbfounded. Such an odd thing to happen. Such a miraculous survival... So scary sounding and yet a bunch of young adults had managed the situation on their own?! How was that even possible, many asked, if these people had indeed been submerged so deep into the ocean. No one in Heatherfield had ever witnessed anything like what Serena had done to her enemies, but thankfully, Tom Lair's flexibility had ended the irrelevant questions, which many other authority representatives had had. What had been truly relevant had been getting the two victims to the hospital at once. Anything else could wait.

"Doctor, please, give me something, I need to know the truth."- Will repeated, almost glaring at the aging man in front of herself.

"Doctor, why aren't you saying anything?!"- Hay Lin gushed. "Please, you're scaring us!"

"Ms. Vandom, the fact that your parents are both alive after what happened to them, is a true miracle."- the doctor told her seriously. "They've spent 30 minutes underwater, at least 80 meters under the surface; but they will recover. Whoever dived in to pull them out did an excellent job. Timewise and methodically speaking. Who was it again?"

"I-I've been scuba diving for almost 7 years. I managed to get a hold of some gear back at the dockside, there are many old pairs back there, in the abandoned diving station. I dived in and pulled them out with the help of my friends who drove the motorboat we used to get above the spot that the GPSs led us to."- Eric repeated the same lie they had presented in front of the authorities already. It was an absolute, glib, lie, but he had somehow managed to fabricate it once the police had started questioning them. He had indeed been scuba diving for almost 7 years, but that was about the only dose of truth in his words.

"That's very brave and perilous of you, young man."- the doctor applauded. "You must be proud of yourself. Your heroic act saved not one, but two lives."

Eric could only smile uncomfortably in response. Will breathed in relief as she patted the man's back and held Irma, who hugged her from behind, tighter. She was the real hero who she'd be forever beholden to, but that was only for them to know.

"Doctor, will Mr. and Mrs. Vandom emerge totally unharmed from this horrific situation? What about their brains?"- Taranee interjected with concern.

"People might suffer brain damage if they spend over 5 minutes without oxygen. Mr. Vandom and Mrs. Vandom have both fought- he held his last breath for over 6 minutes; she managed almost five, that has turned out to be of vital importance, because that way they both spent less than 2 minutes without any oxygen. They didn't lose hope that they'll be rescued and that's amazing. That is why I say that your friend pulled them out with perfect timing."- the doctor said. "We're running some additional tests, but I'm certain that their brains are fine. Their brains and lungs are absolutely fine."

Will and her friends could finally take some time to breathe normally. Thank God. Thank God that her parents were fine. If something had happened to them.._.I wouldn't be able to look at my reflection ever again_, Will thought and closed her eyes tiredly. _Great_. So many amends to make, so many things to deal with. The Heart pulsed around her neck. The redhead spotted Matt coming down the hospital corridor together with a concerned-looking Dean.

She had to talk to her step-father and assure him that everything would be fine. Now that she had heard it from the doctor himself, she had the strength to do so. But after that, she'd have to do something that barely anything could give her enough strength for, she knew.

Will nodded at her friends and left their side to go talk to Dean.

* * *

_**Paris, France**_

Cornelia took one last look of herself in her front camera before taking a deep breath and getting herself to knock on the door of the big conference room. The hotel she was in had many things, and a conference room was one of them- it was the second largest in the entire building and she had been especially asked in the email that she had received, to be there on time. That was why she had arrived exactly two minutes before 9 AM. She knew that punctuality had a whole new meaning in the world of modeling and showbiz.

Showbiz...the synonym of social and mental hardship. But Cornelia had long decided that hardships weren't to scare her any longer. She was beautiful; gorgeous. She was tall, slim and fabulous overall, but she knew that wasn't enough for her to succeed in this industry. To succeed she needed to be especially clever, which she fully believed she could be. After all, she was almost 25, she had no time to waste if she was to be a successful model. Girls a decade younger than her were getting casted. She had been one of these girls, when big names in the state had started recognizing her, around ten years ago, but back then she had cancelled all her career opportunities. Looking back at that decision now, the blonde saw it as short-sighted and childish. All her friends were on the road to achieving success, each in their own field, she was the only one of the five guardians to fall behind schedule and for what? Just because she was such an altruist...

Cornelia tossed her long blonde mane back. It was perfectly curled for the occasion, falling freely around her body like a waterfall of gold and sunlight. Her enviable, healthy blonde hair- her trademark, was something which she was especially proud of and wanted to flaunt in front of her new employers. Her Instagram-inspired, "no makeup-makeup", graced her beautiful features just the right way- it gave the illusion that she wakes up like that on the daily. Cornelia was far from the thought that anyone would fall for that, but at least it looked flawless. She had spent an hour to achieve it, despite her long-year experience with makeup; yes, the eldest Hale daughter was a natural born beauty, but she was aware that some slap has never hurt anyone. Especially in her world, makeup was something extremely mandatory. For her outfit, after long hesitation, she had eventually chosen a pair of expensive white jeans and a pale pink, off the shoulder top. She wanted to look professional, but not boring, that's why she had accentuated the entire look with gentle diamond-encrusted hoops, a choker to match, and little rings for index, middle fingers and thumbs, something which was an undeniable trend this year.

The young woman nervously shifted her weight from her right leg to the left one, keeping perfect balance even in her heels. Waiting for her to be called in, she glanced at her phone screen once again. It was already 9 o'clock; she knocked again.

"Come in!"- a prissy female voice invited her from the inside.

Cornelia wasn't about to lose more time, she pushed the door open and entered the big conference room.

The fair woods and white hues that the room was designed with, combined with the bright morning sunlight coming from the big double windows on the opposite wall, created a strong sense of luxury. But Cornelia wasn't surprised; the entire hotel was an expensive one. Knowing the name that had shown interest in her, she hadn't expected anything less.

On the big desk in front of the windows stood a woman about her age, who the blonde wasn't exactly in the know about. She frowned, stealing a look of the auburn-haired female. She was familiar with Mr. Todd Campo, CEO of the mega fashion brand Te-CAMP-o, who many critics juxtaposed with names like Philip Plein, but this woman... Not too sure why, but the blonde had felt a little disappointed. She had expected Mr. Todd, himself, to meet her, after all he had signed that email, which they had sent her. Cornelia examined the woman while waiting to be further noticed; she had watched Miranda Presley enough times to know better than to simply interrupt a fashion designer in the process of doing something, like her hostess on her tablet. Her pretentiously curled auburn locks and her big botoxed lips made her look a little outdated, as far as Cornelia was concerned, but she couldn't deny that the woman was beautiful. Very beautiful. Cornelia narrowed her eyelids; now that she came to think of it, there was something familiar about her...

"Cornelia Hale, right?"- the auburn-haired finally lifted her gaze from her tablet and pointed at the chairs in front of her desk with just the right amount of probing heartburn which every beautiful woman displays when meeting another beautiful woman. "Take a seat. I'm Mrs. Campo; vice president of TeCampO marketing. It would appear that Mr. Campo chose your CV out of hundreds, I can see there's a good reason for that. Do you have any additional files which you'd like to add to your personal file?"

_Oh, Mrs. Campo...that makes sense_, Cornelia thought, trying to remember as to why this particular accent in the other woman's voice sounds so very familiar to her. Her rare pale-blue, snow-like eyes, her auburn hair and olive colored skin; all that seemed so very familiar, as if she had already seen her somewhere... A magazine maybe? She was Todd Campo's wife, after all.

"Yes, thank you, mam. I do bring some copies from my old portfolios."- the blonde said, graciously setting the dark carboard file she had with herself, on the desk.

"Alright, great. Don't call me mam, it sounds like I'm old!"- Mrs. Campo said. "Call me Sondra."

Cornelia estimated that it made sense; after all, as far as she could tell, they came close in age, even if Mr. Campo was in his late thirties... _Sondra?!_

"Oh, excuse me, I forgot to offer you something to drink. What would you like? Water, cappuccino, celery juice? Tea?"

"Just water, thank you."- Cornelia smiled exaggeratedly, still thinking about the name she had just heard. Sondra was extremely familiar, even more now that she put it together with her appearance. But what were the odds...

Sondra made a quick order through her tablet and fixed her curtain bangs with her fingers. Then she started going through Cornelia's documents- both the paper ones and those which she had on her device.

"OK, let's see here; your measurements seem perfect. No doubt. No cosmetic surgery so far. Good, though one can't really tell. You're turning 25 this year- so am I. You have past experiences, but you haven't worked with anyone in the last 8 years."- Sondra lifted her head up, tapping a pen against her jaw. "Why is that, Cornelia? Did the stress of the profession overwhelm you? What made you reconsider coming back to professional modeling now?"

"I had some personal affairs to get in order. Family problems, relationships. With school and all that, I was unable to keep up modeling too."- Cornelia explained, a little peeved because she had already stated that in her online one on one. "I want to start modeling again, because I'm finally ready to put my own interests and decisions first."

For some reason, Sondra didn't seem to believe her:

"Oh, come on, Cornelia."- she cooed in her accent. "That's bland, that's what they all say. It's no real reasoning! Spill the tea if you'll be aiming for more money."

The Earth guardian blinked in perplexity.

"But there is no tea to spill, that's about it. More money? Am I approved to even be thinking of that?"

"Of course you are approved."- Sondra rolled her eyes. "We don't just fly people here to chat with them. Look at yourself, you look like a downright goddess. You know how our brand works; you'll be modeling our clothes and follow some guidelines from the contract which we'll have you sign. Simple things like wearing our things to events and posting with them on social media- you know how it is. 8 years ago, the basic rules were pretty much the same. You follow our rules and we pay you. Then you get recognition and attention, and the offers will start to rain over you again. All you'll need in the future is a good manager."- she finished, locking fingers together and resting her chin on them. "Any questions?"

Cornelia just stared at her not knowing what to say. On second thought, why had she thought that it would be so hard to get back in the game? Sondra was right, she was gorgeous. Any brand would love to have her model for them, even a big brand like TeCampO. It was just the rules of showbiz. Beautiful women made big money while making _bigger_ money for big names. It wasn't all she wanted to do in her career life, but it was a good start.

"No, Sondra. Thanks a lot. I'm happy to hear that I've been approved."- Cornelia said, just when a maid entered to leave them their drinks. "Listen, even if I don't have tea to spill right now, I'm sure that once we start working together, the tabloids will explode. It has been too long since Heatherfield last read about me."

Sondra chuckled gutturally, lifting her cup up:

"Indeed, indeed. Heatherfield's a lovely little place... Many other places will get to hear about you soon."

Cornelia felt contended with the reply. That was just what she wanted, anyway. She crossed her legs more tightly:

"OK cool, what do we do now. Is there any screening or measurement takings that you've planned?"

"No, not yet. We'll just sign a contract. I wanted to see with my eyes the good form you're back to, so soon after giving birth! Remarkable."

Cornelia's smile quenched a little, but Sondra was quick to laugh it away:

"O-o-o, see, you didn't mention that in your CV, but we like to further check our partners beforehand."- she shook her finger with an undying grin on her beautiful face. "Even after 8 years, you're still someone back in your _little city_. But seriously speaking, my admirations; no one can ever tell that you've given birth less than a year ago."- Sondra placed the papers on the desk in front of the other woman, tossed her hair to the back and stood up, stretching her hand out: "Enough talking, you must be impatient to storm the streets and boutiques of Paris; Just one signature here. Cornelia Hale, welcome. Welcome to TeCAMPo."

Cornelia, who had just signed the papers smiled and took her hand:

"It's my pleasure to be a part of your label."

* * *

**_Heatherfield, 9:45 AM_**

"Look at him. Look at his little smile. He's gorgeous."

"He definitely is. I can't bear the resemblance he has with Caleb; it's astounding."

"Well that is so. He does look like Cornelia too. Look at his eyes. His lips. The shape of these beautiful blue eyes."

Nerissa smiled. Julian had a right, she decided, though she would forever mostly see her son in Killian. Her son and the priceless, but few days she had spent with him during his earliest years.

Killian giggled cheerfully and rolled over; his diaper was just changed and he was ready to return to his tireless games. He was almost 7 months old, but he was a big baby from the beginning. Nearly 9kgs with a healthy amount of brown hair and the smile of a little angel. His lips might have been his mother's, but whenever he smiled or giggled, his grandmother saw Caleb. Each time...it was astonishing how much she loved that little boy. She could as well die for him and his father.

Nerissa shifted her attention from her grandson, who crawled to his indoor playset, to Julian, who was leaning casually against the changing table, with his coffee mug and a warm smile.

"Do you want anything else, baby."- she purred in her natural patronizing voice that softened this way only when addressing him. Nerissa extended her hand and gently caressed his face. "Something more to eat or something else to drink- "

"I'm fine."- Julian assured her, pressing her hand against his scratchy cheek. "You'll spoil me rotten."

"Oh, my dear Julian, that is my goal!"

She cupped his chin lovingly. Julian pulled her closer, burying his face in her exposed neck. Nerissa intertwisted her fingers in his luscious hair just when the doorbell rang.

"I'll stay with Killian."- her husband suggested with a smile and Nerissa nodded, albeit reluctant. She wasn't in the mood for visitors that early in the morning, especially after the ghastly previous evening.

But when she opened the entrance door, she came to face with something even more unwanted, if that was even possible:

"Aren't you supposed to be in the hospital by your parents' side?"

"Don't be fast to slam the door in my face. I've come to talk to you."

Nerissa made a face as she fixed the fallen shoulders of her gray cashmere top in anticipation. Will hadn't expected to be invited inside. She ran her hand through her messy red hair and them aimed all her firmest attention at the older woman:

"You act like you're offended again. Typical. Do you still care about how my parents are doing? I don't hear you asking."

"After your friends gave me the air for your self-respect last night, I figured that I _do_ have what to take slight offense for. You were delusional. I only helped you."

"Sure, after you _manhandled_ me, they lashed out at you. Did you expect admirations for sending me flying in the water?"- Will asked mockingly.

The pair of green eyes shone coldly.

"Admit it or not, had I not ''manhandled" you, you wouldn't have had the motivation to give Irma all the power she needed to retrieve your mother and father. You had lost faith in the Heart and that's all on you."- she added calmly, yet spitefully. "Caleb passed the latest information to me already; I don't need to ask you to know that your parents are out of risk."

Will shook her head, negatively impressed:

"Man is your ego huge!"

"Listen you little blighter, if you're not here to thank me for giving you the much needed spur that helped save your parents, who you had already written off, then just hit the road! I'm a bit over with your dramas for a while!"- and Nerissa attempted to slam the door in her face, but Will put her foot in its way, never losing her eyes from focus.

"I had NOT written them off. Nerissa, you're awfully rude for no reason. It's not very healthy for people who're trying to work as a team-"

"I have my reasons. Your team was ready to sell me out a number of times already. Thank you, I'm not too attached to your united spirits and I couldn't care less about your companionship."- Nerissa retorted coldly.

Will estimated her with another glance.

"Maybe. Or maybe not. Maybe fitting in somewhere does you good, but I don't doubt that you'll never admit it. However, there's one thing that I know you're attached to for sure. One particular thing that you care greatly for."

"What a _sagacious_ little spark you are..."

"I'm talking about this."- Will went on calmly, ignoring the ridicule. She opened her hand and then looked up at the ex-guardian expectantly. "This is something you care about, isn't it? Something that you know so much about. Something that was snatched away from you all these years ago. Wouldn't you like to have it back?"

Somehow Nerissa managed to remove her wide pupils from the enthralling pink glow of the Heart, which Will held in her open palm. She stared right into her eyes, sure that she had misheard:

"What?!"

"You heard me correctly."- the redhead confirmed. "There's no denying that you've always wanted the Heart back. Ever since you first met us, even before that. You've done unimaginable things for this talisman and now I'm offering it to you. You can have it back if you decide that you really want to."

Nerissa opened her mouth and closed it again. Staring deep in her eyes, she couldn't see it. She then looked back at the Heart and with every next minute, her incomprehension grew.

"You're giving it up?! You're giving the Heart of Kandrakar up?!"- she exclaimed. "Why?! It's impossible, no one has ever been able to voluntarily part with it! What is it with you?!"

Will just shrugged:

"My will power is stronger than you think. You've shown that you're better with the Heart than me, quite a few times. Including yesterday. You have more knowledge, more experience... I admit, if you weren't there, perhaps I wouldn't have managed to send that power surge to Irma. To open the fold, to save my parents...That's why I'm offering you the Heart as a token of my gratitude. Just say that you want it and you can have it."- the redhead went on. "Just take it."

Nerissa's heart raced in her chest as she glanced down at the familiar, beloved pink orb of the Heart of Kandrakar. Her heart had once beaten in tact with it; it had been so much more than just a responsibility to hold it. She had been _dying_ to have it back, countless times after the Oracle took it away from her. She had fought for it. How much they differed; she was ready to kill for the Heart, while her replacement had moments in which she didn't believe in its power... Perhaps it was better for Nerissa to be the main guardian again, and why not?! It was the most efficient way to stop Phobos, save Meridian and protect the Universe in general, anyway. The Heart pulsed innocently, willingly, as her hands trembled with excitement. Nerissa swallowed with effort and licked her full lips. Oh, the Heart often made her be like that; like the effect the presence of a drug has on a former addict. And as a matter of fact, she was a former addict. _Power addict_. But it was not just this jewel's power; it was her connection to it. Will was just ready to give it away and disown it?! How could she be so stupid!

_Or clever..._

For a moment, the temptation was so overwhelming and bittersweet; the former guardian extended her hand with hankering, but in the last moment she stopped it in the air. Ste stopped, like a frozen sculpture. She met Will's eyes again; Will, whose held-in breath almost whistled through her lips.

Nerissa narrowed her eyelids and closed her fingers right above the talisman.

"Come on, take it. You want it, don't you?"- Will insisted. "Just take it!"

"I won't."- the other woman averred and offhandedly closed the younger one's fingers around the jewel, using her own. "It's your responsibility now. And if you do decide that you can't handle it anymore, you must turn to your superiors from Kandrakar. Not to me. Now if you'll please; I have to get ready."

Will blinked almost in perplexity, but she stopped the brunette before she could return inside the house:

"Wait a minute. I'm the keeper of the Heart, you concluded that I'm unworthy of it, but I still get to decide what to do with it, why should I ask Kandrakar when I've already made my mind?!"

"Because I'm not failing your test."- Nerissa snapped and Will fought to hide the fact that the cat was out of the bag. She only frowned slightly as she listened: "You lost your faith in the Heart, not I! Do you really think that I'd fall for your tricks? What did you hope to prove, that I'm untrustworthy? Ha, nice try! I almost believed you for a second. But you know not what you're doing. I've been around the block a few times; you're only learning to walk!"

"I don't know what you're talking about."- Will said. "I didn't come with tricks up my sleeve, this is the real Heart of Kandrakar. I was giving it to you, had you decided to take it, it would've been willingly on my part, and it would have become yours again-"

"Yes, it is the real Heart, that's exactly why I saw through your "willing offer". Do not forget that I can still hear it. It's inner voice."- Nerissa stated in a low voice, piercing the younger woman with her eyes. "It was a part of me, but now it connects with you, also. I felt that the Heart is not yet ready to part with you, nor are you. Despite everything. You're just putting up an act with this 'offer'. Well, better luck next time, Will."

Will didn't reply at once. She watched Nerissa turn her back on her, crossly, and head back towards the inside of the house. Her hand was just on the knob of the door, when she heard:

"Nerissa! I'm sorry. And thanks for yesterday. You made me sober up, even if in your own ways. I apologize for underestimating and insulting you. I'm sorry."

Nerissa turned around to meet her gaze. Her red-brown eyes- sincere. One could say she looked almost ashamed of herself. The brunette reluctantly felt her anger fade away. The guardians' quality of admitting to their wrongs was one of the few things that provoked her respect, for Nerissa knew how hard that was for her to do:

"Don't mention it."- she said in the end, dedicating a long minute to just looking at her replacement. "You could come in and have something to drink."

* * *

_**Coronia, at dusk**_

"Andan, Andan, I came as soon as your message arrived. What happened?"- Elyon asked, concern ringing in her voice, as she got off the royal carriage. It had dropped her at the location where her fiancé had called her to. Dusk was falling above Coronia's capital. Andan's distressed message had made her cancel all her audiences and state affair-related meetings for the rest of the day.

Now that she was seeing his wired face in front of herself, she instantly knew that something bad had happened. They were currently in one of the poorer neighborhoods in Coronia's capital , even though the people living here were still well above the poverty line in Meridian. Andan's sentry was making their way around the buildings in a haste, all headed for something that looked like a small shop. Elyon narrowed her eyes and tried to read the label on top.

"Something ominous has happened here, Elyon."- Andan sighed, escaping her glance.

"Ominous?"- Elyon repeated in concern, looking around herself.

"Yes, your Majesty Queen Elyon, and I fear that this ominous string of events has only just begun."

The young Queen turned to the sound of the voice and furrowed her eyebrows in puzzlement. The man that lined up with her fiancé looked familiar. His sand-colored hair and straight posture...

"That's Emery. Visser's only son."- Andan explained. "You know for yourself that a few people left their posts in the royal court over the last months. This week my, so to put it, bodyguard left too, without even uttering a word. Emery's my new chaperone."

Elyon nodded in agreement, suddenly remembering Emery from the night when the Coronians had tried to prevent her and her friends from entering the Palace.

"You're the guy who stopped the rioters two months ago. I didn't know you're a son of Visser's."- she said and Emery lowered his head, as if she had just pointed out a mistake of his:

"I did, your Majesty, but I told you, I fear the riots are going to be more and more in the near future. Just look at what they've done with Mr. Alfalfa-"

"Mr. Alfalfa?"

"He was a local butcher. He had a butchery for many years, people loved him..."- Andan explained grimly as he and Emery gently led Elyon closer to the butchery in question. She now saw that it was the facility towards which all the soldiers had been heading.

"Andan, when you say 'was'..."

But Elyon's words got stuck in her throat. They had stopped in front of the broken glass of the shop's showcase. There, inside, on his own very own butcher's table, lay the brutally slaughtered body of an aging man. Slaughtered like the animals hanging from the ceiling; a look of pure horror sealed in his dead eyes...

Elyon covered her mouth with her hands in shock.

"Oh my God!"

"That's not all, unfortunately."- Emery sighed gravely as Andan wrapped his arms around his fiancée's shoulders. "The rioters did this to him. They did it as a demonstration, look there."- and he pointed at the butchery's front door where blood-red letters, probably left on with Mr. Alfalfa's blood, read: 'Get us a Queen!'.

"They're losing patience."- Emery shook his head. "The more time passes, the more will their fear push them towards inhuman acts like this."

"What kind of a monster does such a thing, this is insane!"- Elyon cried.

"The Coronians, your Majesty. The Coronians are growing savage due to their fears. They haven't had a Queen for months now. This has never happened before..."

Elyon looked at Andan's gloomy face and then back at Emery. Her wet eyes traveled to the back, where the soldiers were starting to take care of the ghastly scene.

"I refuse to believe that people are capable of this! This is too much!"

Just as she said that, the crowd that had begun to form in front of the butchery became louder. People from all around were coming in, circling the crime scene, not less shocked that the Queen of Meridian herself. Their loud exclamations had the guards forced to encircle the royals and raise their weapons up in a protecting manner.

"Alfalfa dead!"- someone from the crowd cried. "Such a tragedy!

"How could have this happened-"

"This is what we get for not having a proper Queen."

"Many will die like this, this is a scandal!"

"All of you shut up!"- Elyon demanded as she pushed some of the soldiers away so that she could face the crowd. A look of outrage and anger had overtaken her features as she yelled at the gobsmacked people who had gathered around the butchery:

"How can you be this vile? Someone has done this to that poor man and what for? Because you're afraid of being left without a Queen? How many times must I say that I'll become your Queen?! Such acts of violence will not do you any good!"

"We? We've done nothing to Mr. Alfalfa!"

"Yes, we loved him! He was a part of the community!"

People's replies for what she had said, thundered indignant.

"What's happening is our realm withering without a Queen, Queen Elyon! Just because you keep prolonging your engagement."

"We told you before, we told you now! Coronia can't be without a Queen!"

"You WILL have a Queen, oh my God!"- Elyon couldn't believe these people. "Meridianites also spent years without a Queen, but they didn't turn against each other, they united against the injustice! How can you be killing your own people just to provoke a reaction from us, when we're not even trying to do anything to your detriment?! This is an outdated and outrageous practice which I won't allow to thrive in this kingdom!"

"I doubt that those who've done this would return here so short after. They're some extremists, but they also fear us. They're deranged, these people here aren't a part of them, Elyon. I'm sure of it."- Andan said quietly, but Elyon wasn't ready to hear; her anger for the Coronains was too big at that point:

"It doesn't matter who did this, what matters is that an innocent man lost his life to someone's cowardice and tunnel vision in all matters of opinion and morality!"

"Queen Elyon, you're all about morals, but Alfalfa's blood is on _your_ hands!"- someone from the crowd yelled, shocking her.

Elyon stood like thunder-stricken as another such comment came flying at her:

"Truth! You're the one who likes to play with Coronia's fate, would it kill you to officially wed Prince Andan?"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"- Andan lashed out, raising his finger warningly. "Since when are you glib enough to address your royals like that?! Have you no respect for my mother and father's memory?"

That seemed to silence most of the dissatisfied individuals, but a part of them still said:

"Prince Andan, you're the one defiling your parents' memory by doing nothing to speed the process of our new Queen's coronation up! You know full well that Coronia cannot exist without a Queen! You're not enough!"

"Not enough!"

The ferocious shouts grew louder and rapider with every following moment up to the point where Elyon felt like they were making her deaf. This oppression, this hatred, the fear, the offensiveness... she couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't listen to their pleas; she couldn't bear to witness another such gruesome demonstration... If giving these people what they wanted would restore the peace, she was willing to do it. With all that had been going on, she really needed her peace. Enough time had passed already, anyway...

"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP!"- Elyon's magically elevated voice finally defeated the yells of the crowd. "I WILL MARY ANDAN, I WILL! After two weeks, I will be his wife and your official Queen, the wedding will be in two weeks!"

The crowd stopped rebelling. It was all curious whispers and hopeful glances among them now. Andan was more bewildered if anything:

"Elyon."- he muttered as he turned to her. "Are you certain..."

"I am, Andan. Let this be over with."- she said and patted his hand. "May there finally be peace in my kingdom and yours. This insanity has to end and our marriage will be it."

Then she turned her attention to the people, who Emery was sort of hyping with the words that the Queen has announced her wedding date. The Coronians were fast to swing moods. Their fear and anger gave way to the elation of hearing what they had all wanted to her. But as they started to cheer, Elyon blighted their new-found enthusiasm:

"Today will by no means be turned into a happy event! A man lost his life to someone's irrational fears. A man was brutally killed! Just because I'm having a wedding doesn't meant that this will be left to slide."- she turned her strict gray-blue eyes to pass over each and every lowered head of the hundreds of people that had attended the scene. "No such demonstration should happen again in these two weeks. Not if you wish to have a Queen! As for this poor man, his murderer will be found and punished for what he did. You are dying to have a Queen, but there's one thing you should know about me. I'm not your typical monarch, but anarchy and lawlessness will _not_ be a part of this kingdom."- she finished and glanced at the now resigned crowd. She was harsh, but after all, that's what they longed for. To be ruled over...to have a sense of control and security. Elyon turned to Andan who could only smile to her reassuringly, holding her hand close to his chest.

They were making their way to the royal carriages, accompanied by Emery and the sentry, but Elyon couldn't help turning around once more, her eyes traveling to the disturbing scene of the demonstration murder. She'd feel the cold chills of what she had just lived through on her back, for hours to come. It was already dark out. The Queen was still somewhat anxious; she had given the people what they wanted to hear, telling herself that the wedding had to happen sooner or later. For the better good of everyone, it was, she was aware... But still, deep in her heart, becoming Queen of this realm didn't feel right nor eligible.

* * *

_**Heatherfield**_

Tony Vandom woke up to the realization that he had been handcuffed to the frame of his hospital bed. He pulled on it, but it was no use. He sighed, trying to wake himself up completely as he just lay there with his head on the soft pillow. He then looked around himself. Hospital rooms were always disgusting, no matter how luxurious they were.

Slowly coming to his senses, he seated himself up in the bed and instinctively tried to pull his hands free again.

"Vandom, you're awake. Good."- Tom Lair entered the room followed by two other police representatives. "Now we can talk about your rights."

Tony blinked a few times, but said nothing as the other man seated himself on the chair nearby.

"Susan."- he murmured under his nose. "Where's Susan? I- I have to..."

"She's fine, she woke up before you."- Tom assured him. "All her test results are promising and so are yours. There's nothing to worry about. Her health as well as yours, are in check."

"I have to see her."- the redhaired man insisted, but the two policemen that had come with Tom pushed him back firmly.

"I won't run away, God damn it, I'm handcuffed and hooked up to a system! I just wanna see my ex-wife. She went through literal hell, I"

"You have the right to remain silent, everything you say will be used against you."- one of the two told him sternly, while the other added:

"You're under arrest, Mr. Vandom. After you get discharged from the hospital, you'll be taken in custody. Do not hinder us from doing our job."

"All I want is to see her! I'm not resisting arrest, I'm-"

But just one look from the inspector made Tony understand that the situation didn't allow him to have any pretensions. Tom silently shook his head.

The other man sighed and leaned back in the bed. Apparently, a part of Tom Lair wanted to help him, even if with a little. Tony didn't need a lot, anyway. All he needed was to collect himself and get Serena to hold accountability. For everything.

"I want to contact my lawyer."- he eventually said.

* * *

"Yes, I'm sure."- Dean Collins said in a hushed tone and closed his eyes. He was really conflicted about his next words, but he uttered them, nevertheless. "Yes, Rob. Thank you for all you're doing, but no. I'm absolutely certain that I want you to drop it and destroy all the materials which you've gathered on Tony's case. It won't do any help."- he smirked sadly at the next line which he heard from the other side. "Yes, maybe I am crazy, but I can't do this. Not to Susan. You have a new target now, remember? You're still up for it? Thanks Rob, I owe you a lot. We'll keep in touch."

With that, Dean put his phone back in his pocket and headed towards his wife's hospital room. He was in the hospital a second day now. Thankfully, Susan was already feeling better.

Back when Will had lost her baby in January, her stepfather had promised himself to bring her and her mother justice. That had been why he had contacted Robert Swan, an old schoolmate of his and an excellent private investigator. Robert had begun snooping around, collecting data in the shadows. Data on Jessie Alexis, on Thomas Vandom, on the dead man also known as the condo corpse; all those who had hurt his family... Later when Tony's truth had started to really resurface, Rob had started gathering materials explicitly on him.

Initially, Dean had planned to turn all the dirty laundry that his friend had found on Susan's ex husband in the police in order to get him a harsher sentence. With what Robert had dug up, that had been in the bag, but in the end, the teacher had changed his mind. Too many things had happened and changed, and the last which he desired was to hurt his wife even more...His new goal now was to get to Serena. Serena had to be punished for what she had done...

Yes, Dean Collins was an ordinary, quiet man, but not when his family was in question.

He opened the door and smiled at the picture. Their young son crawled next to his mother on the bed.

"Look, your dad's back, William."- Susan cooed and raffled the young boy's hair up. "But I don't see him bringing ice cream."

"None of you should be having any ice cream just yet."- Dean shook his head with a smirk. "William will spoil his dinner and you're on a strict regime this week, don't forget what the doctor said."

William just groaned in protest and his mother laughed. With one last snuggle in her and a muttered "love you, mommy", the young boy hopped off the bed and aimed all his attention on the TV and his video game that he had brought on his visit. William was a bright child, but he was yet only 10. His parents and older relatives had decided to spare him the trauma and horror of learning what his mother had been through in the last days. In front of him, she was just down with a stomach virus.

Dean used the discount of having his son occupied to sit by his wife's side and gently touch her face:

"How are you, Susan? Are you feeling better?"

"Dean, I told you, I'm fine. I feel just fine."- she assured him and kissed his hand. Her deep brown eyes exuded love and a great dose of guilt. She felt guilty in front of her husband, for she had completely excluded him of her inner battles and outer motives, in recent times.

"All I want is to get out of here. I want to..."- Susan made a pause. She didn't want to say it out loud, because she knew it could trigger her husband, but when he looked at her, he already knew.

"Another day or two and I'll personally drive you and Will to the pre-trial custody. Don't worry."

Susan sighed and rubbed the man's palm between hers:

"Dean, I feel awful...You didn't sign up for this kind of life when you married me, and all I've been giving you, especially during this last year, is stress and drama. My old life takes a toll on our family and I feel awful- "

"What are you talking about, stop it, Susan."- he said seriously. "You have absolutely no fault for what's been happening. How could you be at fault? You're my wife, of course I'm going to be there for you, don't apologize to me. I vowed to be beside you in bad and good. I know what I signed up for and I'm not going to break my vows. Ever."

The woman could only smile up at him in earnest gratitude. Wedding vows...she had given wedding vows twice in her life. To two different men. Dean cherished their vows and promises, unlike her first husband who had broken them...

Her mind traveled to Tony and she felt her heart going through a storm of confusion once more. How ludicrous everything with him had always been: from their first meeting to the last days of their marriage...up until the utter nightmare they had both just gone through. She had buried and mourned him last spring...Now he was more than alive and there to cause more chaos for her. But did she feel him indifferent? No... No, she didn't, and that was exactly what scared Susan Vandom-Collins. Maybe that was why she had never parted with his surname too.

After everything life had put her through with her ex-husband, she couldn't get herself to forever erase him from her soul.

Hangdog in the heart, she looked up at Dean, who she loved truly.

"What is it, darling?"

"It's nothing, darling. I was just thinking."

He raised his eyebrows agreeably:

"About?"

"About how much you mean to me."- she replied and stroked his cheek with the eluding grace of a real woman, conveying but a part of her true thoughts.

* * *

"Aren't you forgetting a little something?"

His voice was like the scratch of nails against a board. At that moment, the last thing Irma was in the mood for, wer her little brother's taunts.

"What?"- she barked. "What am I forgetting? Your work day is over, why don't you get lost! I know you'd rather bang Lillian or smash some punching bag. Leave me alone, my fucking head is going to explode!"

The last sunrays of the sunset graced the studio-based building of "Lair on the Air". In the parking lot, right in front of the staff entrance, Irma was trying to eat a sandwich in peace, but Chris was ruining it for her. Peace, in general, was out of the question with him around. It had always been like that:

"I'm going, don't worry!"- the teenager rolled his eyes at his sister and thoughtfully stroked his big biceps under the jacket. "Can't believe you'll forget your own birthday. You look like shit, btw."

Irma glared daggers at him as she stood seated on the edge of the curbstone and gave throwing the rest of her sandwich at her brother a hard thought. Then she decided it wasn't worth it and just ran fingers through her unruly hair:

"Nobody is in the mood for a birthday party right now, twerp. Now that you know about Kandrakar and all that, you could at least try to understand more. I know it's easier if you actually have a brain, but still! Oh, and I look like shit, because I actually do something unlike you."

"I'm not hyping you to throw yourself a party for you."- Chris claimed shamelessly. "It's just that your birthday parties have always been wild and they're the perfect opportunity for me and my friends to have some fun and drink a little more than root beer if you know what I mean."

"When did you become such a big deal, you brat?"- she snorted. "Last time I checked, you and your friends were all playing Fortnite and doing the dances -"

"- just like your boyfriend."- Chris didn't miss to add, to his sister's irritation.

Now Irma really threw her food at him, hitting him in the face.

"Irma's mature!"- the teenager cheered sarcastically.

"The point is that you act all grown up, but you're a twerp."- the guardian said crossly. "Yeah, I'm actually mature, unlike you. Hit the road right now before I trash you!"

"Go figure, being your old self with no changes at all, at 25, would've been disturbing-"

"That's it! Quit trying to be witty, you baboon!"- but her attempts to pinch and hit him left him only in laughs.

Irma couldn't deny that her brother had grown quite tall and well-built at the modest age of 18. He was an entire head above their father and almost two above her.

She stopped trying to inflict pain on him and took a minute to catch her breath:

"Chris, you better stop making me angry before I fire you in the last months of your senior year. You know what's been going on with Will's family lately, don't you? You think that I feel like throwing a party right now? Guess what, I don't! Can't fix stupid, I guess!"

"Why not?"- Chris insisted. "Maybe that's exactly what she needs to lift her spirits. You're just a boring old lady at this point. Adopt a few cats and you'll be good to go."

"Bye, Felicia!"- Irma dismissed him sassily, turning her back on him and waving her hand above her head.

But her brother wasn't ready to give up:

"Fine then. I'll throw you the party. As a surprise."- he averred deviously, making her turn around in outrage.

"Christopher! No, you won't! You better not, mister, or else!"- Irma yelled after the boy, who just stuck his tongue out at her and rushed to his car. "Wait till I tell Lillian what a piece of shit you are! You know what, you're not just a piece, you're the entire shit! I'll call Anna-"

Ignoring her, her brother started his car and was just backing out of the parking lot, when another car stormed in, almost slamming him off the way. It was just his fast reflexes that helped avoid the collision...

"Holy cow!"- Irma screamed and ran to the two vehicles that had escaped the accident on the strings. "Who gave you a driver's license, nutjob!?"

Chris also got out his car, infuriated, aiming his attention at the big, expensive Range Rover.

"I swear, had you even scratched my car, I-"- he fell silent in the middle of his words, staring at the woman that emerged from the other car.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Can't you give a girl a free pass on a little moment of inattention?"

"Nerissa?!"

Irma was still getting over her bafflement as a breathless looking Yan Lin emerged from the other door of the big car:

"You're not fit to drive, Nerissa. Never. _Never again_!"- the old lady panted as she rested against the front bumper.

"I just need to practice and refresh my driving skills, Yanny."- Nerissa snapped and pulled her neckline higher. Chris's wandering gaze had tipped her off that, during the abrupt halt, one of her big breasts had escaped the modest coverage of the blue top a little too far up; it was a good thing that she still put rose petal shaped, _nipple stickers_ on... "My driving's not that bad. I just haven't been at the wheel of a car in years."

"Not that bad?! You almost crushed us three times! Three times! You could've given me a heart attack!"

"Nice ride."- Irma commented once she was over the unusual comedy and surprise of the situation. "It has to have been a fortune...Where do you get all that money from, anyway?"

"It's a gift for Killian. A gift from Vera. I tried to tell her that it wasn't needed, but the woman is as stubborn as a ram."- Nerissa recorded, skillfully avoiding the second question.

"A 200k car for a baby."- Chris whistled. "Wow, gets me excited about what she'll give Lillian and me when we make a baby of our own. Even though, this car will be outdated by the time Killian gets to drive it-"

"It won't be much more outdated that the car you first learned to dive on, genies."- his sister didn't miss on the opportunity to patronize him. He had really gotten on her nerves with his party talks.

"I know it sounds a little unpractical, but my grandson's birth is merely the reason for this gift. The gift itself is more for his parents to use. For me too."- Nerissa winked at the two and graciously leaned against the opened door.

"Vera's off her head and Nerissa's taking advantage of it."- Yan Lin said, winning herself a peeved look from her friend. "The woman doesn't know what to spend her money on anymore."

"She insisted."- Nerissa repeated and boosted the volume of the radio even more. "Besides, when I go platinum and then diamond, I will buy something expensive for her too. It's coming soon."

The former Air guardian shook her head and winked at Irma who couldn't help but snicker. Nerissa was in a much better mood already for sure, that she could tell. The last time she had seen her, two days ago, the ex-guardian had been more than sour and had already departed by the time she returned from the ocean. She knew that a big fight had taken place in her absence, but according to Will, she and Nerissa had already made up. That had been fast for sure, but still, Irma didn't think that Yan Lin and her old leader had come all the way to her studio to simply show off the new car:

"Soo...is there any particular reason for your drop by today, or-"

"Yes, I actually wanted to speak to you two."- Nerissa threw her hair to the back and muted the music.

Chris and Irma exchanged glances:

"About w- "

"Your parents have been getting quite vigilant and suspicious of the things that have been going on lately."- the former keeper explained. "It's perhaps because they're too directly involved in the Vandom case. But earlier today, as Caleb and I went to the hospital in order to visit Susan, I heard them talk to each other. It's a good thing I did, believe me. Had I not, things might've gotten a tad out off hand..."

"Yes, Irma."- Yan Lin confirmed. "We discussed this. That trick where you saved Susan and Tony from an almost sure death was something which many didn't fall for. Your mother and father, the most."

"But I...We had no other choice, we couldn't just leave the Vandoms to die underwater because of that hoe Serena's frenzy. What did my parents do? "

"I know. We're not saying that."- the old woman shook her head. "What happened was inevitable. What we are saying is just to make grounds for what happened afterwards."

"Forgive me for I had to trick your parents into surrendering their will and suspicions in order to eliminate all future problems while they are in their infancy."

"What?!"- Irma and Chris exclaimed in unison.

"Wait, what does that mean?"

Nerissa looked at Yan Lin before going on:

"Nothing you're unfamiliar with, Irma. Just some mental magic. Tempted them with alleged details, but took away their doubts instead. You do know how it works by now. This type of magic has many dimensions."

"We just wanted to warn you in case your parents are a bit off tonight."- Yan Lin threw in. "It's normal if they are. Tomorrow all should be back to normal."

"Well."- Irma muttered, sighing with relief. At least nothing dire had happened this time. "It sucks that it had to happen, but I get it. My mother must have been quite hyped about the entire Vandom case, since she did witness one of the first times it was revealed that Serena was a liar."

"Indeed."

The water guardian and the other three people were soon to depart. The day was officially over. Darkness was falling above Heatherfield. Irma waited for her boyfriend in his car and when he finally emerged from the building, twenty minutes after the former guardians and Christopher had driven away, it was time to go home. She was whacked.

And so Irma left the premises of her own work place, oblivious to the figure that came out of the bushes near the parking lot, fleeing into the dark...


	36. The Color of the End

_**Chapter 36: The Color of the End**_

_"When the color of a woman's life begins to fade, her life becomes empty and leads her to the edge, the edge from which no one can save her..."_

* * *

Taranee Cook had seen many things in her life. She had had many different experiences, both happy and shocking, positive and negative. What she hadn't seen yet though, was someone making a sourer face than her mother when in the presence of a person that triggered her judgmental side. And heaven knew that Theresa Cook could be very judgmental and full of reproof.

"I don't want her around Nathaniel, this is a family day. She's _not_ family."- her peremptory voice declared.

"For the last time, mom; Monica doesn't have anywhere else to go today. Nigel has to be with her, because her caretakers excused themselves for the day; we have no other options."

"Then maybe Nigel should stay with her at her place, I don't know. After all, it's Peter's baby! How can you bring her when you know she's unstable around children? You could've been more considerate, Taranee. This is not your own living space to take such decisions."

Taranee felt the fire in her eyes flame at that line:

"Neither is it yours. I've already talked to Peter and Cassidy and they're fine with it. Please mom, let's just both stay in our lanes and not flop the entire day for everyone."

The sourness on her face intensified, but she remained silent. Theresa Cook knew when the facts were against her and when to maintain silence, but that didn't mean she would retreat. Slamming the door behind herself, she headed for the car in the driveway.

Taranee sighed a tired sigh and felt a hand on her shoulder:

"Don't mind her, honey. She's just overprotective and you know it."- Lionel Cook smiled down at his daughter. He had just come down the stairs. "It's not that she doesn't empathize with Monica, she's just allowing her job and what she has witnessed while working, project fears and concerns on her personal life. You know how your mother is."

"Yeah, unfortunately I do."- Taranee retorted bitterly. "I know how she is. Full of prejudice."

Lionel seemed to be in search of a proper reply to that, but the words didn't come to him. Sometimes, the bitter truth can't be reformulated. Especially by earnest, placable and affectionate people like her father. Taranee sighed as he made a pleading face that obliged her to resign.

"I'll be good, don't worry, dad. Let's go. We shouldn't be late."

* * *

_**Simueltech, 12:30 PM**_

Susan Vandom applied her dark pink lipstick once more before entering the imposing building of "Simueltech", the company she had been working for in the last two decades. "Simueltech" was another name for good money and good work, and it had always been that.

Even if many things had changed during the last ten years, after she got transferred to Heatherfield. After the former manager, McGruder had retired, his son had taken hold of the branch and Susan had climbed even higher in the hierarchy. If she had been important earlier, than now she was near paramount. As near as the vice-CEO of the entire Heatherfield branch could get.

Susan headed for her office that was on the 8th floor. She had had four days to rest post being discharged from the hospital, but she couldn't wait anymore. She was impatient to return to her normal routine.

The doors of one of the six parallel elevators opened and the woman went it, almost completely oblivious to the cleaning lady and her detergent trolley that were already inside.

Susan pressed the button and then turned to the mirrored wall. She started fixing her hair and examining her reflection up close. Perhaps a little more blush? She was just going through her bag when the elevator stopped abruptly.

"What the- "- the woman turned around and saw that the elevator was manually stopped. The button for the rooftop on the 24th floor was also pressed; Susan wanted to immediately confront the cleaning lady, but as she was turning around, she felt the sharp edge of something cold and lethal pressed against the back of her neck.

"Hey there, survivor. Don't make me slice your throat open."

Susan's eyes widened in horror as she heard that and came face to face with the realization that the woman she was stuck in the elevator with was none other than Serena.

"What do you want."- she managed to ask silently, suppressing the fear in her voice. Serena threatened her from the back, so she couldn't turn around. She could only face the control board and listen in tension.

"What do I want, what do _you_ want?!"- Serena's voice wheezed. "You ruined my life! Your daughter and her friends killed my brother. Tony killed that man and our baby! And you? You're always just standing there, acting like you're something better, when in actuality, you're a bitter killer supporter!"

Susan tried to get over her anger at hearing all that for the umpteenth time, but she couldn't. For a moment, she lost her cool and turned around sharply, not caring about what could happen next. Her reaction caught the other woman off guard and she dropped her big knife on the floor.

Their eyes met and Susan's anger felt struck by the amount of delirium that her enemy's gaze emitted...If she had been crazed when she kidnapped them, then now she was completely off her head... But she was also directly to blame for what had happened with Will's unborn child and that Susan would never forget.

She grabbed Serena by the collar of her big, stolen uniform, and slammed her in the back wall.

"Serena, last time I told you that I didn't care what you did to us, but you better never come in my way again, because what you and your brother did to Will makes me want to kill you every time I lay eyes on you!"- her harsh tone echoed in the aluminum walls of the elevator. "That's why you tried to kill me and Tony exceptionally brutally, by throwing us in the ocean! In the dark, deep ocean, Serena, but we were still rescued, that must mean something, don't you think? Your attempt to get rid of us was beyond psychotic and cruel, but you failed! You failed at getting rid of us and you failed at thinking about yourself. I told you to NEVER come in my way again!"

And as she said that, Susan slapped the other woman as hard as she could. Serena swayed on her feet before finding herself kneeling in the corner. The elevator had reached its final destination, but Susan slammed the pause button before the doors could open.

"What did you think before coming here today?"- she asked glaringly, as she watched the other woman glare back at her while standing up. "That you could just come and threaten me into dancing to your tune again? That ship has long sailed, Serena. After everything, you're no longer capable of influencing me!"

But to the older woman's dismay, her ex-husband's crazed second wife laughed at that. She laughed like an absolute nutjob and said:

"But you _will_ dance to my tune, Susan. As long as you would like to keep your house with your hubby and son in it, in its place. That's right, Susan, I've placed a little _bomb_ somewhere on your property before coming here. Now, open the doors before I feel like punishing you for that bold slap."

* * *

_**Fadden Hills, 1 PM, Kadma's manor **_

Kadma Starlighter made one last cycle with the round tray before bringing it closer to her forehead and solemnly bowing towards the flaming candle.

"Krishna*, I rarely turn to you, but on holidays like today, I feel the need to appreciate you for the sake of my religious late mother, who I loved dearly."- she spoke. "Happy Holi, Krishna. I wanted to bring you the colors of the day, so that you could as well color life for me and those dear to me. Make all our problems as insignificant as possible, and bless us with the needed strength to fight for our peace. Bhagavaan Krishna kee stuti karo*"

The divine idol in the bottom of the domestic temple seemed to exude an untiring grace as the former guardian wrapped up the morning prayer and set her tray aside.

Halinor, who had stood beside her the entire time, turned around and dipped her hands in one of the many powdered dyes lying on the table nearby, gently smearing some magenta dye over Kadma's cheeks:

"It's Holi, don't be mad."- she said the words and chuckled softly.

"You never forget."- Kadma replied happily and, in her turn, proceeded to leaving a soft trail of blue color on her friend's face. She was referring to the old play of words that her friend had just recited.

Holi, a fun holiday, originating from India, where Kadma's mother came from, is all about the colors of life and the fun they were to bring. Everyone got to play and prank each other, painting themselves in all the colors of the rainbow. This year, Holi was also an event organized by the Rising Star to gather more funds and donations for a bunch of different charities.

"How could I ever forget? It's Holi."- Halinor tilted her head and her blonde herringbone braid. "We haven't celebrated this day in a while, but I still remember how much fun we had on Holi back in school. Come, the first guests will start arriving."

Halinor smiled and gestured towards the doors. Kadma smiled back and nodded her head, following her friend along the corridors. They were both dressed in fair traditional clothes according to the Indian custom for this holiday.

Kadma wore an elegant green, short-sleeved blouse under the white-beige wrap saree that left her waist and a large area of her back bare. The front part of her garment was decorated with green, yellow and white stripes at the bottom part of the skirt. Her long hair was gathered in a tight braid-bun on the back of her head. To finish the hairstyle off, she had a large rhinestone hairpin securing the hair in the big bun right in the middle.

Halinor, in addition to her long braid and carmine red lips, had adorned herself in a pair of elastic leggings and a custom-made red and white tunic on top, with traditional Indian elements embroidered on it; these elements were also on the exquisite, silken shall that she had draped like a poncho around her shoulders.

When the two women reached the large grounds, rented especially for the event, some people had already started to gather. The Indian community in Fadden Hills wasn't all that big, but many others were invited too. Kids from all over the town, kids with no families, entire orphanages were going to soon arrive. Kadma accounted that this festival would be the most fun many of them would have for the first time in months and that made her happy and sad at the same time. There was still so much more that could be done for those in need, especially kids...If only she could duplicate herself to help more people simultaneously.

The limo stopped and one of the drivers opened the doors for them. Halinor held her under the arm as they headed towards the festive grounds to meet their special guests who had already gathered there...

"You made it!"- Halinor exclaimed cheerfully, hugging her shorter friend. "We're so glad to see you here!"

"I promised that we'd be here."- Nerissa said as she hugged Kadma while Halinor held Yan Lin in her hug; then they switched.

The ex-keeper moved back as the hostesses greeted the rest of their guests of honor- her son, Cornelia, Julian and the rest of the guardians, excluding Taranee. Oh, yeah, their other halves were here too. The festival promised to be quite diverse.

"So, how do I look?"- Nerissa began playfully, flowing the skirt of her luxurious white, gold and black saree made out of almost transparent silk. Her hair was up in a big updo adorned with flowers and jewels that made her thick black tresses even shinier.

"Yeah, we followed all the dress code instructions."- Cornelia joined in, stepping next to her mother in-law to show her clothes too. A set of long white skirt and a crop top ornate with the richest details and designs. "We're all wearing white for Holi."

"Like a million rupees."- Kadma smiled and made them an approving gesture with her index finger and thumb.

Nerissa seemed to think about it for a second:

"Isn't that extremely little converted in dollars?"

Everyone laughed at her and Kadma shook her head, amusedly, placing her hand on her shoulder.

"It's an expression, Rissy."- Halinor giggled and leaned against her. "But this is expensive, isn't it?"- she tucked on her clothing. " You know that you'll get covered in colors and ruin it, don't you?"

"That's what I told them."- Irma interfered from the back. "But go persuade divas. Hey, where's the food? I'm starving!"

"You're not exactly underdressed yourselves. What's that on your ears, diamonds?"- Nerissa taunted the ex-Fire guardian while Kadma reached to take a red metal box out of her purse.

"Here, Irma. This is Prasad*. It's a blessing from the Gods and it's for all of you to have before we start celebrating, eating and drinking."

"Will, how are you? How's everything with your parents?"- Halinor approached the redhead once everyone had started to scatter around the entire lot. The celebration could begin, but she had to inquire.

Will blenched ever so slightly, but managed to smile it away:

"I can say that everything's finally starting to come to its place. They're doing better. The final trial is going to be next week."

Halinor nodded with concern:

"But that woman, Serena? Is she captured? She's terrifyingly dangerous. Her rage and hatred are horrifying- "

"She's about to be captured."- Will claimed. "She can't run forever. Everything's against her. She did what no else could to herself. When the rest of her money and connections get peter out, she'll end up behind the bars where she belongs."

"That is true, Will, but we must still be vigilant."- the older woman replied. Her blue eyes shone in anxiety. "Now even more than before. When people like her are pushed into a corner, they become much more ferocious than one has seen them, even in their worst light."

* * *

"Keep walking! If you turn around, your family will be blown up into pieces!"

The wind was blowing right in her face as she took yet another step. Susan tightened her fists. She was on the roof of "Simueltech", slowly making her way to a sure death._ Again._

It was cold and cloudy, and she had to wait, but her wait would be worth it...Hopefully, so would enduring her unborn grandchild's murderess, who she wished to _throw off the roof_ herself.

When she was a few steps away from the ledge of the flat roof, Susan stopped walking.

"Who told you to stop, Susan? I sure didn't! Keep wa-"

"Do you expect of me to jump off the 24th floor?!"- Susan turned around and yelled at her.

Serena remained a few meters back, holding her knife. The cleaning lady hat was off her unkept hair. Her beauty was fading with the increase of her utter insanity that had long washed the glow out of her eyes...

"What do you want, anyway, Serena? Money again? Like you tried to kill us the last time, when we firmly refused to give you money to escape the country and change your identity, right? Didn't we tell you that you'll see nothing from us after what you did to Will!?"

"The least you could've done for me is provide me with money."- Serena gritted her teeth. "But no! You're a sordid couple!"

"Sordid? What a perfect word to describe you with! So, you do admit that you were a gold-digger from the beginning?"- Susan remarked acidly, but then bit her lips. She had to do her best to get her anger under control again. "Sorry...You do admit that you tried to _kill us_ by throwing us into the depths of the ocean upon kidnapping us, because we refused to pay our own ransom-"

"You despair to hear me confess everything, don't you? You want yet another proof to help yourself sleep better at night, beguiling yourself that you're some Saint Mary incarnation!"- Serena shouted on the top of her lungs. "Fine, I'll do you that big favor! I did, yes, I confess _everything_! I tried to fool you into legally transferring everything which that dead-beat ass Tony left you and Will! I tried everything that I could think of, I even kept pretending to be pregnant, even after I LOST my child because of him! Your beloved ex-hubby! I wanted the money and the real estate, that's true! A gold-digger? I wouldn't call myself that, I actually loved that piece of shit before he threw me to the piranhas and showed me his real face!"

Susan didn't know what or how to reply to that. Serena was breathing heavily against her, glaring at her:

"I wanted the money, because you had everything else, anyway, Susan! You had your own money, your family, this fancy job, everything! When Tony "died", I was left with my sincere grief and nothing else! I felt this burning feeling...envy? Yes, that's the word. I envied you and your perfect life, I thought that if I continued to be pregnant in front of society and if I kept Tony's belongings, I could still live a decent life."- Serena sobbed angrily. "That I could still recollect myself... Despite the double tragedy that I went through...but you had to ruin everything! You and your daughter! Why did he have to let you have everything? Why _you_! You've treated him poorly in these last ten years, I was the one who loved him and was next to him, and that's how he thanked me!"

Susan tried to say something in response, but the right words escaped her again. In this light, while saying all these things, the other woman was sincere. She was sincere and not crazy. She was just broken and hurt:

"Serena..."- Susan began. "I've never wished you any ill, I've never wanted for any of this to happen, but- "

"But what! Why do you have to lie? I know you hated me from the first day you met me!"- Serena interrupted her. "Neither you nor Will ever accepted me! The looks you gave me, the snide comments during some occasional dinner, the overall handling! You've always treated me and Tony with a high hand, that's exactly why I can't understand why he had to do all this for you!"

The older woman threw her hands up in defeat:

"Serena, that doesn't mean that I wanted your life to turn this way! Say whatever you want about me!"- she cried. "But who has a great amount of affection for his ex-husband's new wife? Who just accepts all that? I'm sorry for snubbing you during these last ten years, but what you did to me and my family afterwards- "

"I did!"- Serena shook her head bitterly. "I was ready to accept both Will and you, because you were a part of his life, but you never gave me the chance. Especially you! My intentions were good, I was sincere in the beginning. But after ten years, I gave up on us being friends, Susan. You never accepted me nor treated me as an equal. And of course, now you have the perfect thing to excuse all that with. All my actions...Just remember that all my actions against you began after Tony lied to me, neglected and abandoned me on the street after I suffered a miscarriage. You've been giving me the brush-off long before any of that."

"Serena, I admit that I've been cold towards you, but that's because I've never seen things from your point of view."- Susan sighed. "I'm older than you...My values are clearly different; I haven't- "

"Of course, your values are the epitome of right. I'm the lousy hooker and gold-digger-"

"That's not what I meant! Hear me out!"- Susan cried. She put her hands in her hair and exhaled; she could hear Rosetta's voice in her ear, but she ignored it. This was off hand. It had long gotten off-hand and she had to discuss the things that bothered her first: "I've never been taught that I can be friends with the new woman in my ex-husband's life...I'm territorial and I can be quite resentful. It's just how I am, it has never been anything personal towards you, I would have probably treated any other woman the same way! That's my mistake, but I've never seen the need for the two of us to be close, arising. Ever..."- Susan sighed. She felt like a bitch admitting that, like a fool, but it was what it was... "My marriage with Tony ended on a bad note, you know that. I apologize for being like that, I can't turn time back, and it has never been all up to me. I'm sorry for making you feel disdained, but you have to admit that Tony did what he did to you after you tried to blackmail him with Phelps' death. He mistreated you, I agree, but- "

"Alright, fine, I blackmailed him! But was it really that bad? I only said that I'd reveal he did business with the man who had allegedly tried to rape and hurt you in the past. But I only did it, because I had just lost my baby! Tony didn't want for us to keep trying, he didn't want another child, he didn't even try to comfort me... In fact, I think that he was already planning on leaving me!"

Susan gaped at the other woman's exclamation. That was a part of the story she was hearing for the first time. This was the first time she and Serena were actually talking like rational women ever since she kidnapped them...Well...rational women screaming at each other on top of a giant building...

"Wait what? Tony and Phelps were discussing working together?"

"Enough, Serena, you're not fooling anyone with your soupy stories."

His voice made Serena turn around in shock before she could answer. Tony Vandom was approaching the scene in his dark red suit. His formal shoes tapped the surface he walked on.

"Y-you?! Why aren't you in custody?"- she stammered as she watched her husband line up with his ex-wife.

"None of your business, you witch."- he replied coldly, placing his hand on Susan's shoulder. "Had it been up to you, I would be on the bottom of the ocean right now, huh? Don't look at me like that, you tried to kill us and now you came to hurt Susan again, are you denying it?"

As Serena stammered on her words, Susan turned her attention to the man:

"Did I hear right? Is Serena telling the truth? You were actually talking business with that man? The man who tried to hurt me numerous times, who almost hurt our daughter?"

"Susan, that's not the point, please, we'll discuss this later!"- Tony replied hastily rubbing her hands. "This woman is trying to take advantage of your softer side, of your good heart! That's why she's sobbing right now! I had a very good reason to leave you the way I did, Serena, don't you even try to deny that."- he then turned his killing gaze back to the other woman. "You're far from being bold or brave without your goons around you, as I can see. You're not even beautiful anymore."- he added spitefully, as Serena blenched. "Why are you trying to excuse yourself yet again? Why did I leave you for good, huh? Because you tried to blackmail me, you tried to make me choose between Susan and Will, and you! Did you ever believe that I'd choose you over them? My family. My daughter and the mother of my daughter have, and will always be most important to me, more important than any _whore_ such as yourself, I don't get why that's so hard for you to comprehend. Did you think of yourself as more important than them? Were you really that stupid?!"

"Obviously."- Serena hissed, a tear rolling down her cheek. "After you wrote me off post the miscarriage, I became desperate to keep you, that's why I blackmailed you. Now I regret doing it, because that's when my life went downhill and why? Because of you! You weren't worth all that trouble and pain."

"Really? Then why didn't you stop in front of anything?"- Tony laughed. "You're an ordinary whore and a glib one too. You are the only one at fault for losing that baby, you went clubbing! How is that my fault? Why are you here today? How much more will you keep tormenting Susan, you jealous bitch? You even tried to shoot her last summer. But you're not woman enough to admit to all that."

"There's no need to be that brusque, Tony."- Susan muttered, making him look at her in outrage:

"Susie-Q, please! Please! You're feeling bad for the woman who tried to kill us underwater! Who murdered our grandchild while he or she was still in Will! She killed our grandchild before we got to meet it!"- he cried, shaking her by the shoulders. "That piece of trash over there. That dishonest whore!"

"I'm not dishonest, nor am I scared of you! I admitted to everything!"- Serena yelled in response. He had brought her on the verge of a breakdown. His words hurt so bad...His full of hatred gaze; even Susan didn't look at her like that. The man who she had loved and supported for over ten years had nothing good to say or remember her by. Had she been the worst person to live there would've been more to be said in her defense than what she read on Tony's face: "I blackmailed you, then I tried to fool Susan, I wanted to have at least something. Something after you left me with nothing! You were so angry that day, the day you faked your car crush, you have no idea how I felt when they told me that you've passed!"- she screamed. "I was _dying_ on the inside, because the last words which we exchanged were during a fight! You made me feel terrible about myself, when in fact you had actually decided what to do with your life already! You had planned it; you decided to run away from everyone and everything and leave me to deal with that man's death while leaving me nothing at the same time! Nothing but the terrible feel of suffocating guilt, for your imaginary death! Who is that big of a sucker, Tony Vandom?"

Susan felt sick while witnessing this scene, but she said nothing. Neither did Tony, he just looked at Serena with a cold, expressionless face:

"I tried to get a hold of some money, but your precious Will and Susan failed me, they pushed me off my edge with their demeanor! That's how I ended up pointing a gun at them! I was in a dead-lock, because of you, you prick! Then, Susan and that Anna discovered that I'm not pregnant. That was the end of my life in Heahterfield in general. Not only had your daughter managed to get a hold of the documents which I tried to make Susan sign as documents for burial places, I lived through the humiliation of sharing my story with her. My story about how I can never have children again, BECAUSE OF YOU!"- Serena pointed at the man with a trembling finger. "Because of you I had to endure that ugly pity in your first wife's eyes!"

Susan looked down and closed her eyes in defeat. So many things about her life had gone wrong ever since marrying the man she had loved first. That was just another one of them; she had turned into a judgmental and entitled woman. She had lost a great deal of that good heart he talked about, as well as a great deal of respect and patience for the others. Her divorce had stripped her off of all that...

"My life was never going to be good again, never!"- the other woman kept narrating furiously. "That's why I grew even more bitter! That's why I decided to kill Susan, what else could I do? I had nothing left. Nothing. Ten years for _nothing_. Maybe I'm a monster! Maybe I'm terrible for I fled Heatherfield and then, months later, came back with my brother. We took the corpse of Phelps out, it was time for you to pay, Tony. I had kept his corpse in that freezer ever since your "car crush", but now that I had discovered that you're actually alive, it was revenge time. How I knew, you may ask? You didn't exclude me of all of our joint accounts, you asshole. You happened to use one of these joint accounts from Fiji. Sure, later on, you have probably reconsidered your mistake; my brother tried to track you, but the bill was quickly closed and deleted as if it had never existed. You are such a good con-artist, even Jessie was impressed. My brother, Jessie, was a strong, merciless man. He was not the best person, himself, but you are beyond compare. He did horrific things to avenge me, but in the end, he found his death and you still managed to escape unscratched! YOU WERE THE ONE who was supposed to suffer the most, YOU, TONY! YOU BETRAYED ME AND ABANDONED ME!"

At this point, the young woman had grabbed her husband's collar, trying to shake him, but he didn't bulge. Susan wiped her teary eyes and attempted to push her away, but stopped. She just stopped and shook her head. She didn't know what to think anymore...

"When Jessie exposed himself so stupidly, I was left with no options. How could he grow so stupid all of a sudden, he even found his death? Till this day, I still think that your daughter and her friends had something to do with that-"

"What nonsense."- Tony grunted and pushed her off. "Don't ever accuse my daughter for your retarded brother's death, rag, he got what he deserved. He and you poisoned Will while she was in custody. And I have the email to prove it."

"Yes, of course you have. Jessie considered that since he had transferred Tom Lair, he could as well cover that up. If you had come out of course, but even after you read his email sent to your old accounts, you just destroyed your device in order not to be revealed."- Serena smirked bitterly. "That didn't make you reveal yourself or the fact that you've faked your death. Then you say how much your daughter means to you..."

"My daughter means the world to me."- the man gritted his teeth and approached her in a minatory fashion. "You had my signature and you quickly managed to prove what you wanted, yet you still couldn't execute your sick plan! That made you even more bitter, did it not, whore? That's why you kidnapped Susan and me, and tried to kill us again."

"Exactly."- Serena confirmed without a trace of remorse. "What else could I do? You were getting away with everything, while I was being hunted like an animal post Jessie's death. The people of Heahterfield are quick to turn against those who disrupt their peace. At first, I didn't plan to kill you, I wanted you to give me money. Shallow me, right? But I was willing to get off your hair. After I lost everything because of you, Vandoms, you could have _paid me_ to get lost, but no."- she clicked her tongue in a disapproving manner. "You had to insult me again, Susan even knocked me down and said the worst things to me. That's why I threw you in the ocean, and believe me, I was sure that would be the last time I see you. But no, Tony, you managed to escape even that. Even that! You're not a man, you're the devil!"

* * *

_**Heatherfield: New Chance, the Chacon House**_

"So, Cassidy. When are you and Peter going to have the wedding?"

Theresa's next question caused mass awkwardness at the table yet again, provoking thoughts on a matter that obviously hadn't been discussed in the young family. Taranee shook her head and hid her face in her palms.

Family lunch with the Cooks and their new daughter in-law could be a torture. Mainly for the daughter in-law. But she just smiled and chuckled, being her usual bubbly self:

"Oh, we haven't really thought about it yet. I know that it would've been best had we married before the baby was born."- Cassidy beamed. "That's how I was brought up, these values have always been preached in our family, but what to do. It happened. But we will certainly be legalizing our relationship and son in the future, don't worry, mom Theresa."

Taranee rolled her eyes at the extremely ironic phrase that had turned into.

"You were raised excellently, Cassidy."- the judge saluted her, sincerely impressed in a positive way. That was a rare thing to happen by itself. "Emily, your granddaughter is a real gem."

The two women could just smile warmly, looking at each other from across the table:

"Maybe because she was raised 60 years ago, you like her."- Taranee murmured under her nose, then pretended to cough and focused on her mashed potatoes, ignoring Nigel's silent chuckling.

Cassidy was a wonderful girl, she didn't deny that. She was also young, beautiful and smart and ever since the whole entire Orpheus and Eurydice story was out of question, Taranee didn't mind the fact that she had lived in Heatherfield before any of her parents were even born. What irked her just a little bit was how well she got along with her dictatorial mother, judge Cook.

Speaking of judge Cook, that little side comment hadn't gone unnoticed by her and her sharp hearing. Even though she hadn't heard what her daughter had said, in particular, she had heard that murmuring and she didn't miss to flash Taranee a strict, rebuking look.

"Terry, can you please give me the sauce?"- Lionel asked, his mouth full of roasted turkey.

His wife nodded and handed him the gravy-boat that was closer to her glass of wine, but in the process of taking it from her, the handgrip slipped in the man's fingers. The gravy-boat fell on the wooden floor, bursting into pieces and a flood of sauce.

"Lionel!"- Theresa scolded her husband angrily. "Why do you have to be so clumsy all the time?!"

"Sorry, Terry, I guess my fingers were oily from the dip-"

Theresa shook her head, but then seemed to reconsider the situation.

"Oh, no worries, dear, there's more sauce on the stove. I'll get this cleaned in a jiffy."- Emily suggested, but the judge was quick to halt her:

"No, Emily, please! Allow me."- she stood up, dusted her white trousers and took the cloth napkin out of the neckline of her formal gilded shirt. "You sit too, Cassy. I'll be right back. Taranee, would you come to help me, please?"

The young woman nodded and reluctantly followed her mother out of the dining room, just when Peter cracked some joke about her and erupted in laughter together with her father and Nigel.

"I guess that you want me to do the cleaning."- Taranee began reprovingly, but her mother stopped her right in front of the kitchen door.

They were in the Chacon house, the kitchen was the first room next to the vestibule in front of the living room, which was now empty.

Taranee looked around herself in confusion and then followed her mother's finger towards the empty couch:

"See? I saw that she has moved. She's not where we told her to stay! Now what do you have to say about her?"- she began accusingly.

"You saw that the couch is empty all the way across the dining room and then through the arc?! Huh, I don't know, mom, maybe she has gone to the bathroom, like people tend to do or something- "

"Please, you know that I have a hawk's eye. No, Taranee, Monica is not like most people. I want you to look for her immediately."- Theresa insisted sternly. "Before she embarrasses us, you will find her! Start from the nursery. I don't want her to be alone with Nathaniel!"

"She can't be there, she- "- Taranee began, but her mother made her a sign to be quiet and then pointed towards the stairs.

"Just go! I'll take care of the mess your father made, you'll take care of the one you and Nigel started by bringing that woman along in the first place."

Taranee sighed and once again reluctantly followed the order. Her mother was too much. Her disdain for Monica was what could embarrass them, especially her, rather than what she had in mind. Who did Theresa feel like could judge them, Cassidy and her mom!?

_Judgmental people tend to fear being judged the most_, the fire guardian thought irritated, before opening the door of her nephew's nursery.

To her surprise, she indeed found Monica there. Staring at inside the crib from above:

"Monica, what are you- "

"Thinking. Thinking about how fast you'd react if it was this single baby in danger. In comparison to how slow you are when _entire worlds_ are, headed by Coronia! You're wasting time! Soon it will be too late!"

The harsh voice that came from the fragile body wasn't Monica's, and even though Taranee wasn't as shocked as the first time this had occurred, she still felt her stomach turn around once the possessed body turned around, abruptly, and approached her with an unnatural speed. Without even moving her legs, she hurtled face to face with her.

"I-icona, what are you doing here? And what do you mean?"- Taranee stammered as she gazed into Monica's alienated eyes.

"How many times must I tell you what I mean? I was wrong when I considered you to be a clever set of guardians. You're slow and indifferent to problems which will soon be your undoing!"

Icona was greatly infuriated and that was visible. The other woman had expected everything but to feel her fingers wrapping around her neck in the next moment:

"Icona!- she wheezed in shock. "Let go off me!"

"Why? So that you can continue doing nothing?"- her voice sounded like three people talking at the same time. Taranee was utterly terrified. "A month has passed in your indolence! The future of many worlds is on the strings! You allowed the Dark Descendant to grow more powerful. They're both in the claws of the Descendant now. You're failing us all!"

Taranee finally managed to push Nigel's possessed mother off herself and coughed while rubbing her neck. She was sure that the iron grip of the fingers had left her with marks; she aimed her flaming glare at the ghost of the countess:

"We're doing everything that we can, given the circumstances and the information which we have! I know that you're hindered from providing us with more than what you already did, but if you can't help, then at least don't do crazy things like that! Why do you show up at all if the only thing you can do is spur us! Who are "they"? Who's the Descendant?! Is it Leonida, is it Phobos or their child, I don't know anymore, Icona, that's why the only thing which we can do is wait-"

"Obtuse fool!"- Icona raged and the windows in the nursery broke into pieces. Nathaniel woke up and started crying; Taranee was shook beyond compare when everything around her started moving. "If you keep waiting, the only thing that you'll await shall be _mass doom_! You've used but a tenth of what I let you have! All is hidden in there, all that you need to get to the core of the Descendant. How many times must I say, the Descendant is not just a person! Stop the darkness before it has extinguished all light! The darkness has _never_ been so near!"

Taranee felt her eyelids heavy and then everything spun around; when she snapped out of it, her mother was in the room next to her:

"Taranee?!"- Theresa shook her by the shoulders. "What's going on?! I've been waiting for you for over ten minutes; Monica arrived downstairs and said she was very hungry. I thought that you've found and sent her, but when you didn't return, I came looking for you. What's happening, honey? Why is Nathan awake?"

Taranee blinked a few times, trying to assimilate what had just happened indeed. The windows were fine again, nothing in the room was moved. Her nephew wasn't crying anymore, he was simply lying in his crib peacefully.

Icona had been angry. She had warned her in an eloquent way, saying that their time was running short. The question was what could she, as a guardian, do to use the rest of that time, no matter how little it was, for something effective. Truth be told, all this time, the fire guardian had felt like they weren't doing enough for the whole prophecy story, but she had brushed it off, encouraged by her friends and all the other problems they had had. Now she was certain; they had to get to action faster than ever.

* * *

"I may be a devil, but you're trash, Serena. Nothing makes up from what you did. Nothing justifies it. The moment you decided to blackmail me, you ruined not only one, but four lives at the very least! And that's without yourself and your brother."- Tony hissed darkly, not impressed by the woman's breakdown at all.

She was shivering like a leaf upon finishing her long, emotional outflow, but he wasn't done with her yet. Not yet...

Susan heard the last warning in her ear. They were coming. They were already traveling towards them, up the elevators. It would all soon be over...Tony caught a glimpse of her eyes and immediately knew. That was why he shot:

"Do you deny throwing that vase at me, that night? Do you deny blackmailing me into the unthinkable? You did this, you caused all of this, be honest with yourself!"

"I deny nothing, it's all true, but that doesn't make me worse than you!"- Serena yelled back, not even bothering to follow the string of her own retrospective anymore. "You're the most selfish, greedy bastard who's ready to do anything to- "

"No, Serena, let's not make this about me. It's all about you and your crimes. You hid the body, didn't you? You hid Phelps' body after you threw the vase, you hid in that old freezer, which you later took out to use against me and my family. You tried to _frame_ us after you thought that you could take advantage of the situation yet again!"

"HOW MANY TIMES SHOULD I SAY, 'YES I DID'?! FUCK yourself already! You ruined my life just like you tried to ruin Susan's. No woman should ever fall for your charm, because you lack a heart in your chest, Thomas Vandom. You're a heartless monster that ruins lives!"

Serena's words echoed in Susan's ears, but the man was deaf for them. He had already got what he had wanted and his lips stretched into a big smile:

"Bravo, Serena, bravo. What a wonderful final point to your _full confessions_. Thank you for finally doing the right thing to get the fuck away from us."

But before Serena could ask, he pulled the little spy microphone from his ex-wife's jacket and gleefully showed it to her.

"You've been live broadcasted ever since you stepped in that elevator, honeycomb."- Tony told her. "We knew that you'd never resist confronting Susan after that TV segment we did from the hospital. After we offered a reward for whoever captures you, you were the one to fall in the trap, _capturing yourself_. Like the mouse goes for the cheese, you went for the money you were denied, and you ended yourself. You have to admit, I know you so well..."- he chuckled. "That's why we set everything up with the police. Your bomb was deactivated after Collins and the kid were taken out; Susie-Q only had to keep you occupied long enough."- Susan escaped her eyes on purpose at that, as Tony went on, happier than ever: "Then I came to help her extract the last of your confessions. You didn't expect that, did you? Too bad, but it's over, Serena. Game over for you."

Serena tuned around, having heard the elevators. That's when the policemen flowed out of them. Approaching her. Armed. Ready to seize her. They were talking something, but she didn't hear them. The last thing she heard was her own scream as she turned back towards the pair and dove towards them with her knife. If she could, she would have pierced both of them at the same time. That's how she hated them; but instead of that, she tripped.

She tripped after Tony happened to be faster. He pulled the dismayed Susan too abruptly, right before the other woman could slaughter them like she planned. The long ends of the cleaning lady uniform betrayed her; Serena lost balance and flew off the roof. She flew off the 24th floor as her entire life flashed in front of her eyes one last time:

"SERENA!"

Serena opened her eyes to see the person she had expected less hold her. Susan was holding on to her hand, desperately trying to pull her up from the afflictive termination she was hanging above._ Literally._

"Serena, give me your other hand!"- Susan cried. "Serena, I beg of you!"

"Susan, are you out of your mind?!"- Tony yelled behind her, holding her around the waist. Susan was on her knees, on the flat roof, in order to be able to hold the other woman, who she had caught in the last second: "She'll try to pull you down with her, Susie-Q, please!"

Serena blinked in disbelief. The police had stopped in their tracks, careful as they approached the tense scene that could change in any next moment. The wind was blowing, but the world had suddenly gone silent. Bland. _Colorless_...She didn't even hear the cars and the traffic anymore, she could only see the tear-wetted face of the woman who was trying to save her life.

"Serena, please give me your hand!"

"I made you go through hell. I did terrible things to you and your daughter."- Serena muttered. "Why are you holding me?!"

"She's right, she doesn't deserve it!"- Tony fumed from the back.

"Tony, please, just help me pull her up!"- Susan cried and the man reluctantly proceeded to fulfilling her request, but Serena crossly slapped his hand away

"Don't touch me! Don't you ever touch me again!"- she growled.

"Serena, please, you _have_ to allow us to pull you back up!"- Susan pleaded. "I can't let you fall from here, I can't-"

"Why not?"- Serena snapped. "You could tape me and set me up! After all, I threw you into the ocean to die and killed your grandchild! I KILLED IT! Do you still want to save my life? Do you still want me to live!? Remember all that, Susan, remember how much you've always despised me!"

Susan closed her eyes through tears and opened them again, sobbing weakly:

"N-no matter what you've done and what has been between us, nobody deserves to go out in this ridiculous way! Please, be rational, Serena. Please let me save you."

"No one can save me, Susan. Only I can save myself now. Let go off me!"

Susan shook her head, mortified. Her hand was getting tired. Serena was hanging on it for dear life, but she didn't want to hear her. What could she do?! Their eyes met in a long, painful gaze.

"I can't let you go!"- Susan whimpered." I can't just let you go; I can't do this! I won't be able to live if I throw you to your death, you, thinking that I wanted this! I n-never wanted this. I never wanted any of this to happen!"

"I know you didn't."- Serena replied quietly, but her eyes were more than eloquent as she said that. She meant it. She obviously also understood that the other woman would never let go, so she had to let herself go. Serena twisted Susan's right hand:

"Serena!"

"I'm sorry."- Serena croaked. "I'm sorry for everything."- then she did something even more shocking. She bit Susan's left hand, forcing her to open it. Susan screamed and winced, but that second of sharp pain was long enough for Serena's body to start falling down in a tremendous speed. She fell down like a doll whose strings had been cut off.

Susan's scream got stuck somewhere in the middle of her throat. All she could do from then on was stare down at the falling body as her eyes slowly went out. Her ex-husband finally pulled her from the edge of the roof and enveloped her in his arms, pulling as far away from the end of the platform as possible, as if he feared that Susan could jump after Serena any minute now.

He sat on the ground and just held her, chuntering reassuring affirmations in her ears, but Susan didn't hear him. She didn't feel his strong arms around herself, nor did she feel the heat of his body against hers. Susan's soul had passed out in her, the moment she had witnessed Serena willingly fall to her death.

* * *

**_Krishna*- _**_Krishna is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of the god Vishnu and also as the supreme God in his own right.[ He is the god of compassion, tenderness, love and is one of the most popular and widely revered among Indian divinities_

_**Bhagavaan Krishna kee stuti karo****\- Glory to Lord Krishna!_

_**Prasad* - **offering from the Gods, usually a small ball shaped candy made of vegetarian products and sweetened_


	37. Grim Siege

**_Chapter 37: Grim Siege _**

_"Hope dies last, so does the light of this Fortress."_

* * *

_**Gray Wood Mines, Meridian...**_

The knitting needles weaved the yarn intact. Expanding, moving, and bringing ends of the thread together again in a simple, straight knit. Her young hands kept knitting tirelessly. The fire from the modest fireplace illuminated the otherwise dark living room of the rest house. Her darling home arrest zone, or rather where she was to wait for the grand unfold in peace. The dethroned princess of Coronia was no amateur, she smiled affectionately at her pet, barely lifting her eyes from her work, as he entered the room. Yes, over the last months he had been successfully transformed into her pet. The all-feared Phobos Escanor...Who would've thought that he could be put under control with such a simple thing as one's progressing pregnancy? His child in her womb, Leonida long knew that she had his strings and she was clasping on them hard enough. Hard enough to be certain she'd never lose this tremendous precedence- the prince's heart.

"How is it progressing?"- Phobos inquired, pressing his back against the stone wall. He had just left two cups on the end table beside her chair and now watched her weave in two long strands of hair in her stitch. Strands of their hairs...

Leonida smiled again and made him a little sign to be quiet:

"Just as it should, my sweet King. The first gift for our baby is going to be for us to give. And that gift is going to be so very special. So very useful... She's going to be one very lucky girl, my King. Do you know why? Because what she'll have is beyond compare. She will have us. And what are we?"- Phobos couldn't help but smile in response as the woman finished the first of two baby mittens knitted out of crème colored yarn on the table.

* * *

_**Kandrakar...**_

"Oracle...Oracle do you see what I see? Never before has this betid... Ever, in the history of Kandrakar. Dark clouds. Dark clouds are approaching the Fortress!"

But Luba's anxious exclamations weren't needed for Himerish to bristle, as much as his soft, hairless body allowed sense to be made of using that expression in actuality. Even without hair, the tension that had loomed above all of his venerated sages and friends didn't miss to ignite his inner worries too.

As an Oracle, he could share very few of his heartrending disturbances, but this time was one of these occasions.

As he watched the approaching dark clouds in the otherwise clear, infinite skies of Kandrakar from one of the upper balconies, together with Luba and Tibor, Himerish failed to keep his impenetrability. His face darkened like the welkin itself.

"Your Excellence."- Tibor whispered. "These clouds...The meaning of this...this bad omen. Could it mean that Kandrakar..."

"It is with sorrow that I'm saying everything shows us that you are right. Yes, Tibor."- Himerish sighed gravely, removing his sterling gaze from the dark skies with pain. "The Fortress of Light is no longer a place where only light holds sway. "

"It can't be."- Luba shook her head, terrified. "We've never seen any such omen, not even before the first veil was raised when the Meridian tyrant left us no choice but to restrict all planets in the Metamoor. How could have darkness found its way here?!"

"Prince Phobos is far from the worst we and all the known worlds have, and will be facing, my friend. That does not mean that the current situation is to be compulsory worse. There is still time."

Himerish seemed to have recovered a particle of his composure and contagious goodwill, but the shadow of the concern was still present on his face:

"This new darkness is still in its infancy. If we contain it and preserve the balance while it's still weak, we will emerge victorious."

"But if we fail to do that on time, Kandrakar will be forever lost. The darkness is already tightly surrounding us. If it finds its way to the Heart of Infinity, then..."- Tibor closed his eyes solemnly. "- then I refuse to think of the horrifying consequences for the Universe..."

"I'll summon the guardians."- Luba said, heading back to the insides of the Fortress, where Orube had stood and listened up until now.

"Teacher. I'll go."- she suggested. "I'll go to Heatherfield and let the guardians in on everything, personally. That would be the most appropriate way since they are in the midst of troubles of their own."

Their eyes met. Luba and Orube hadn't talked all that much ever since the whole scene with Nerissa had taken place in the Tower of Mists one month back, but they were still close. Orube had simply been impatient to return to Heatherfield every now and then. She seemed to like it there more than she wanted to admit aloud.

"Go, Orube."- Luba said in the end. "But do it quick. These clouds of darkness threaten the balance and stability of the Fortress, and if the Fortress is to fall, then so shall the cosmos as we know it."

* * *

_**Heatherfield, 12:00 PM, the High Court **_

The trial promised to be brief and quick. And how else? The evidence was annihilating. Categorical. Every last detail had been looked through and the only thing that was left was to hear the court's decision. The accused were two, but the blame...

Theresa Cook ran her eyes across the room before hitting the surface of her desk with her hammer. She demanded order, even though the benches were already silent. It was more of a formality and an attention-grabbing tactic during this open to the public case. Upon getting on it again, post the reveal of Alexis's lies, she had become even more serious about bringing it all to a righteous exit.

"Order in the hall! The court made its decision. On the basis of all the documented events, the indisputable evidence and the full self-confessions of Mrs. Sanchez-Vandom, after a short meeting, the court and the jury reached the following consensus: for repeated attempted murders in a particularly brutal manner, described in the following attachments on pages 5- 12; Jessie Alexis's public confession that implied his sister's part in Wilhelmina Vandom's forced miscarriage, which Serena later confirmed herself in the video material you all saw; her lies and frauds, the majority of which are backed by documents seen by all of you during the previous hearings, as well as for the not-quite-clarified death of Mr. Phelps, last March, the defendant, Serena Sanchez, will be serving a _life sentence_. However."- Theresa fixed the rectangular glasses on her nose and took a moment to throw a cold look at the half-dead-half-alive, plastered woman in a wheelchair in front of the counsel table. "Due to her deteriorating physical health, confirmed by forensic doctors, and the fact that the defendant was confined to a wheelchair for life, with _92% of her body paralyzed_, including her jaw, the court decided to send Serena Sanchez to an appropriate human institution/sanatorium for people with severe paralysis and terminal injuries, in Open Hill, where she should spend the rest of her life. Under the watch of expert security, of course. This is my final decision."- then the judge turned her attention to Tony and his attorney.

From the Gallery, sitting between her mother and Matt, Will could swear that she had seen Mrs. Cook squint her eyes while looking at her father, and she couldn't blame her. After the performance that her father's lawyer had hosted earlier that day, presenting him in the light of a saint, pretty much everyone were annoyed. But then again. Evidence was evidence, and Tony had managed to sift out all he had needed to emerge fairly untouched.

"Mr. Tony Vandom was completely acquitted of his previous charges, but not as in the case of his ex-wife and daughter. Susan and Wilhelmina are recognized as framed and the court has since apologized to them. In Mr Vandom's case, it is a matter of concealment by the law, falsification of death and public fraud. Taking into account the mitigating circumstances, in particular the actions of Serena Sanchez and her late brother, the court ruled the fine of $ 10,000 justified. Based on Vandom's net worth, the acquisition of which could be investigated in the event of a _future offense_, this amount is fully creditable. In addition, I sentence the defendant to a 3-year suspended sentence, during which any subsequent violation of the law will have serious consequences. One offense is another fine, two offenses put you in a situation where you face 3 to 5 years in prison, and three or more offenses could send you behind bars for longer than you can imagine. I'm sure your attorney will have the care to describe it all to you in detail."- Theresa added sternly, before hitting with her hammer once more.

Tony avoided her eyes, but smirked under his nose anyway.

"The case of the people against the Vandoms was transformed into Vandom against Vandom with extreme speed, and all the multi-stage changes and events that took place are registered and settled thanks to the quick cooperation of Heatherfield's police as well as that of our people. Having said that, I proclaim the sitting closed. Case closed!"

Fifteen minutes later, Will and all her friends and close ones were outside the building of the court. The rest of the 'audience' had already dispersed. After everything that had happened in their lives over the last months, Will felt like she could finally breathe easily, even though she was leaving the hearing with mixed feelings. From one side, she was glad Serena was finally going to be eliminated as a problem and would pay for her tremendous crimes. On the other hand, however, her stomach was turning because of the way her father had slipped inbetween the drops. Even Theresa Cook, with her long years of practice, knew that Tony hadn't been completely honest and had used guile to be exiting the courtroom with a high head. But the case was now closed. Justice was relative and even though he was her father...

"Can you believe it's all over, Will? Lighten up. It's all over, dear. Your family will finally breathe."- Matt's grandfather, who loved her like a child of his own, was comforting her.

Will had to smile down at him. He was right anyway. It was just...

"Yeah, grandpa. We're just waiting for Tony and we're all going celebrating afterwards."- Matt interfered, throwing an arm around Herbert's shoulders. "Right, Susan?"

Susan, who had been busy talking to Halinor and Dean, turned around to them and nodded mildly:

"Yes, Herbert. You're coming too!"

"Ah, I don't want to intrude myself on you, besides the shop expects a delivery-"

"Alchemy will take charge there, what are you talking about."- Matt shook his finger. "You're coming, grandpa."

"Herbert, you must. You're family."- Susan smiled and sighed.

"Yeah, grandpa."- Will nodded. "You'll come because of me. It's just for an hour or two at this pastry downtown. Nothing too fancy."

"I'm not in a mood to celebrate all that much myself, but we have to mark the end of this nightmare."- Susan went on after her daughter finished her sentence. "It's a new chapter for our family and respectively all those who surround us and had inconveniences because of us. Mrs. Lin, Anna, I want to apologize to you once again. Joan, I'm sorry. Jessie Alexis gave all of you a hard time because of us."

As Irma and her mother, Yan Lin, Joan and Hay Lin busied themselves with persuading the other woman just how much she was not at fault, and how it was all water under the bridge, Halinor took a few steps back to have some privacy with her closest friends:

"Well, girls. It's all well when it ends well. I don't know about you, but I'm happy for Thomas and Susan. Hopefully, life will get back to normal for them now that that snake and her games are over with- "

"Hopefully. And I can cross 'attending a court hearing' out of my 'to catch up-list'."- Nerissa added in a jest. "Even if it got quite _boring_ at some point. All I could look at was that woman in her full body cast. Is it not astonishing that she lived post falling 5 stories down from the top of the building and face flat on an outsourced roof?"

"Some life."- Kadma snorted. "She can't even open her mouth normally. But that's what baby murderers get. Spiteful woman. She couldn't be reunited with her sick brother; she drew the shorter straw! The life she'll have from now on is worse than just dying."

* * *

"Sera, Sera. These people made a fool out of you. They crushed you like a cockroach. Tony Vandom, your big love...Didn't I tell you that this would happen? You're an idiot, Sera. An idiot!"

But she couldn't see him, nor hear him. At least not in this state, when she hadn't had anything to provoke a hallucination-like state.

Her half-brother's ghost disappeared and appeared behind her again. The backroom where she had been left to wait for her so-called caretakers was small, with a low ceiling. There was a single coffee table and an old sofa inside.

And her wheelchair of course. Her wheelchair with her inside- covered in the white cast and plasters. Only her eyes visible. Her full of pain and defeat eyes... That was what was left of Serena Sanchez- Vandom after her hatred had possessed her. A fragile creature, barely clinging to life.

Jessie clenched his teeth.

"I showed you these girls' true identities. I led you to them while they discussed playing with Tom Lair's mind for the sake of their secret!"- the dead cop screamed on the top of his lungs, but even he knew it was in vain. "Hell, I even told you something was wrong with them from the beginning, but you never listened! You don't even listen to me now, because you can't, can you?!"- he growled. "I died because of you, now look at you! Just _look at you_! Useless, pathetic...why did I ever agree to be a part of this for your sake? I should've known!"- Jessie hissed spitefully. "You've always been one of these unlucky kids. Those who get all in life early and then lose it early, being left to live miserably for the rest of their lives. Unlucky, unlucky Sera."

Serena was terrified when the wheels of her wheelchair started moving on their own. They were speeding, backwards against the big window. She tried to scream, but it came out as a muffled yelp.

"Why live like this, Sera? You'll be better off dead."- Jessie narrated while using his energy to move his half-sister around the room. "When you die, the physical pain will stop and you'll see me again. You better die, Sera, because you have no reason to live anymore. And I died because of you. I died because of you!"

In a state of emotional defeat, she gave up and waited for the back of the wheelchair to break the window and for her to fall. Maybe it would be for the better good. It would be her second fall this month, anyway. She had intended to kill herself when she had bit Susan, she hadn't wanted to be left paralyzed forever...

"What the hell?!"- Tony had just entered the room and stopped the accident before it had taken place. Serena shot him a venomous look in her forced silence as Jessie glowered and disappeared behind the other man, who took a step back after pushing the wheelchair back in front of the coffee table.

"You really like flying."- he mocked her with a stolid grin. "How did you push yourself there? Never mind. I came because we need to be officially divorced before you get sent in the sanatorium, babes. You had your fun, but your time is up. I'm long through with you."

All Serena could do was listen and glare at him, hoping that a glare could as well kill...Tony casually pushed his hand in the pocket of his striped suit and waved a paper in his other hand:

"Ah...that's right, I forgot you can't sign anything. You can't move anything."- he smiled coldly. "No worries, we're already divorced, see? I wanted to come and show you while seeing you one last time. The court was nice enough to sign the papers instead of you. You're now officially no longer a Vandom. Happy?"

Tony chuckled at his own cruel jokes, and since he obviously couldn't receive an answer, he just went on:

"Serena, you were a mistake, to begin with, but they make me pay the taxes for your sanatorium as long as you keep breathing. Does that make you feel any better? To be honest, I am this close to feeling sorry for you. Watching you in this state and everything. But then I remember what you did to my daughter and to Susan and I say to myself, 'she deserved it'."- his voice was quick to grow harsh and cold as he glared back at the woman in the wheelchair. "Because you did. And in the end, you got what you deserved. I'm glad you didn't die when you jumped off "Simueltech". Had you died, you wouldn't have been present here today, and today has been a fantastic day for justice."

Then he got closer to her and hissed in her face:

"Why are you looking at me like that? You did this all to yourself. You fucked with the wrong man, baby. No matter how screwed in the head you were, admit it, you could've never taken me down...I've told you before, I'll tell you again: screwing with you? Living with you? It was all good, especially in the beginning. We could've had an easy life. You could've lived in luxury and then actually get a hold of some money, one day when I die, had you played your motherfucking cards right. But you had to get greedy; you had to try to best Susan. You had to try to be more important than her and Will, and take everything for yourself. That was your direst mistake, Serena."- Tony stood up and threw one of the papers in her lap. Then he gave her one last cold look, as she moved her tear-filled eyes away from him..." You could never take their place in my heart. You could never make me love you like I love Susan. You were not fit for that. Nobody is. Susan is...she's the only thing I regret losing in my life."

With that and a secret promise in his head, Tony turned on his heel and left the tiny room, leaving his most recent ex-wife to wait for her new caretakers. A shut-in. Broken, hurt, empty, and full of regrets after him...

* * *

_**Meridian **_

Raythor was just exiting his private lavatory with but a towel around his waist, when he saw her figure and barely contained his exclamation. How baffling it was to him to see her there. Lazily lounging on his bed, going through the pages of something that looked oddly familiar...

"Good God! Where'd you get this from? What are you doing here at all?!"- in the last moment, he had managed to keep the towel on before involuntarily flashing the Mage, even if a part of him wished that it had happened...

"You wrote a book about me and never told me, how rude is that?"- Nerissa arched her back up and playfully gave his muscular body the one-over. "What is more, it happens to be the book that moron Ari had his hands on."

"Bloody farmer."- the captain cursed under his nose as he hid behind the screen in his room. After a few moments, he came back wearing pants. Better safe than sorry...

Nerissa was lying on the bed like a Queen. Her red vintage-fade pantsuit was far from modest- as usual; the jacket top had middle sleeves and was buttoned up bellow a massive cleavage, lined by the edges of the black lace-bodice which she wore underneath. Three long, thin pearl necklaces rested on her ample chest, like white jewels scattered across two mountains.

She looked up at him with infallible mischief:

"_No other woman could bring, unite, and scatter people of all ranks like she did. She played with destinies, she ruled over them and then left them in ruins, because she was a woman touched by an angel, but also kissed by a devil. Her ravishing beauty and demanding personality, however, faded in the background, because it was her intelligence that brought people to their knees, for so many years. Phobos on the throne, but Meridian was hers to command-_ "

"You flatter yourself too much, that's why I never told you about this book."- Raythor said gruffly and pulled it out of her hands so that she could stop reading. "You can take it home and read it later. Now tell why you're here?"

"I missed you, that's why."- the sorceress claimed innocently, making him open his mouth at a loss of words.

"I- "

"- I haven't seen you in a while, I haven't been here that much. Is it not normal to miss my loyal captain?"- Nerissa tossed her head back in a maiden-like laugh as his expression changed from bewilderment to irritation.

"One day, Mage, you'll finish me."- Raythor shook his head at his own reflection while applying deodorant.

"Oh, don't be such a grump!"- Nerissa got off the bed and playfully slapped the man's bare back. Then she waved the book around: "I want you to sign this tribute you wrote me; it's like a late birthday gift. Or rather early."

"You don't celebrate your birthday."- he reminded her.

"True-"

"- it makes you think of your actual age which is-"

"Don't go there, captain."- Nerissa shoved the edge of the book in his rock-hard abdomen.

"You really like it? The book, I mean. I started writing it once you came back from the dreamworld. Actually, this is the manual script-"

"Are you kidding? I love it! It must be copied and sold for everyone to read."- and Nerissa tossed her long hair back before seating herself on top of one dresser. "Thank you. I'm riveting in reading it."- she added sweetly.

Raythor flashed her a sincere smile:

"No thanks are necessary."

"Now, I know that Phobos's little spy, that brat that got away, stole this and gave it to him so that he could use it to delude the simp Ari."- the woman began pondering out loud. "What I can't wrap around my mind is why? Why want to turn Arkhanta against Kandrakar, Meridian and whatnot, if it's not beneficial to him and his little enchantress."

Raythor, who had just put his cape on, rubbed his freshly shaved face:

"Makes sense, but why would you think of all that now? That was all months ago. They're both locked there, like mice in that house. Am looking forward to the day their bastard is born and they go to a proper cell."

"The book came from Arkhanta today and made me think about it again. Oh, and there's an emergency situation on Kandrakar."-she added as it was nothing.

The man turned to her again:

"What emergency?"

Nerissa shrugged and got off the dresser. She started to make little circles, walking around Raythor:

"I can't tell, there's nothing particular to be said yet. The guardians were summoned to unravel matters there. I have other unpleasantness to attend to."

"Like what?"

"Like talking to the girl Phobos kept hostage for months."- the woman retorted with an odd spark in her eye. "We're going there tomorrow morning. Be ready."

Raythor nodded confidently, fastening the buckle of his belt.

"We'll take Sandpit too. I want to get some tracking down done on Arkhanta, while we're there. The bad omen on Kandrakar, this girl that Phobos has had in his claws for months...Things never stopped moving under the surface. A thin ice cover made all of us falsely calm enough to let the two rejected rulers be left in peace in that rest house, and I'm starting to believe that was a big mistake. I didn't like it before, but now I'm willing to act against this decision. There are months to go by before Leonida gives birth! Meridian can't afford to wait that long before securing the prisoners."

"Indisputable, however, Kandrakar took the final decision regarding Phobos and his unborn child, they reached to the Queen-"

Nerissa just shook her head at his words:

"Well, it won't be the first time they've made a wrong choice. And it certainly won't be the last. But this time it's not just that. This time there's something more alarming than the reasoning of the Council. Darkness has made its way to the Fortress like never before, not even when Kandrakar was left in ruins, 11 years ago."- Nerissa made an eloquent pause in which her eyes and those of the captain met once again. "This darkness is inanimate and practically invisible, and it has the power to corrupt all who reside between the walls of Kandrakar, without even having to _try_."

* * *

_**Kandrakar **_

"Icona was crystal clear, girls. The prophecy, the Dark Descendant, we're all failing by letting it get stronger. I'm sure that this bad omen is just another stage of the unstoppable darkness she told me about."

"Yes, Taranee, we get it, but what have we _not_ done in order to contain the stupid darkness?"- Cornelia snapped, irritated. "What does that dead crone expect us to do, anyway? Kill Phobos, Leonida, and the unborn baby, a.k.a the Descendant? Not only is that so below us, but it's also what we've been trying to avoid for months! Next time just tell Icona to butt out!"

The blonde and her friends were touring Kandrakar, trying their best to figure out what exactly was happening, but so far it was a quest of time-wasting. So, there were a few clouds in the skies above the Fortress. So what?

Taranee's unstopping attempts to scare them as much as she had been a few days back, were tampering with Cornelia's nerves. It was of no use; the Dark Descendant couldn't be stopped. The Dark Descendant, whoever they were, was utter despair.

"Maybe we're approaching this wrong. Didn't she say that the Descendant is not necessarily a person?"- Will pondered out loud. "Maybe the cult's still active somewhere on Coronia, and that's what threatens the balance of the Universe somehow?"

"But Icona said that Magana has done all in her power to erase everything about the cult and the prophecy."- Hay Lin reminded her friends.

"She also said that it was impossible and the wrong thing to do."- Cornelia furrowed her brows. "I trust neither of these cows; they're all lying about something. Icona, Magana_ and_ Leonida- "

"I agree. Plus, we never even got to the point where we understand the stupid cult's purpose."- Irma scoffed. "Even with all that trash we got from the abandoned county and the shit Nerissa stole from the Forbidden Wing here, at the end of the day, all we have is a stupid poem and a few myths."

"On the contrary, we know that their sole purpose was to make Coronia glorious again and restore the old casts that existed there before the golden fog and the adoption of the Golden Spring brought abundance to each and every person who lives on the planet."- Taranee objected. "Just because you didn't get the point, Irma, doesn't mean that we didn't- "

"I get it, Tara, I just think it's dumb! If everyone's rich, who do they still hate on, each other?! Because those who were rich first feel belittled cuz the peasants have caught up with them just like that?"

"Sounds legit."

"If we compare the way state life goes around on Coronia to an ideology here on Earth, it's most similar to socialism."- Hay Lin began.

"A very boujee version of socialism-"- Irma noted.

"- either way! There are always opposing views, in every political system. If the royal family are socialist-like, there are always going to be radical opponents of this ideology, in the face of those who've been rich before the equalization of everyone's havings-"

"That's very different, Hay Lin."- Taranee argued. "Coronia is a monarchy, you can't compare its ways of functioning to socialism, liberalism, and what-not; the royals there own everything to begin with. I get where you're coming from, but that doesn't explain the falling darkness that we are supposed to be fighting."

"- you get my point, don't you, Taranee? I'm not comparing the situation in Coronia to anything, I'm just giving example names to the things we have to deal with. This darkness that we have to fight is not entirely invisible. We have to investigate the original rich people of Coronia. The first aristocrats. That's what I'm saying."

Will and Taranee exchanged glances and nodded at each other. Hay Lin's idea was something that they had all thought about at some point, but her unspoken idea was what they would implement first.

* * *

"He's among our rows. I see his outlines, yet I can't get a clear view of his image."- The Oracle mused, opening his eyes and focusing them on his most venerated and trusted allies.

The water in the room they were in, was flowing upwards, all over the walls, the floor, which the seer was sitting on, as well as the ceiling. The Room of the Majestic Water had more seeing power than the majority of the Oracles put together, but it was still not enough to uncover the image of the traitor.

"But how did the defiler manage to hide from us all this time!"- Luba raged.

"Powerful magic for blood integrity protects him. The blood of many fallen victims blocks my view of him, for that."- Himerish retorted and stood up with a sigh.

"Such strong magic?!"- Tibor exclaimed. "That's a worrisome thought. Except for Nerissa, no one has ever managed to influence the Fortress from within. What kind of powerful sorcerer could the defiler be, and when did they arrive?"

"Oh, no. He's quite ordinary. His magical protection has come from an outside source. He's been with us for many mortal years. All this time...he has been a part of an ancient dead society, which the guardians recognized as the cult of the Dark Descendant."

Luba and Tibor looked at each other.

"I thought it to be a mere legend..."- the cat woman muttered under her nose.

"We were all beguiled to believe so, Luba. Yet the golden fog and the mystical Golden Spring have worked beyond the eyes of Kandrakar. For centuries, dividing those who the rulers in control, have believed they're bringing closer..."

"Sir, the guardians... they are positively close to cornering the defiler."- Tibor murmured. "When they succeed, we'll avoid the tragedy of- "

"I'm afraid not, Tibor."- Himerish smiled sadly. "I don't doubt the guardians, but it's a little too late to escape the trap we've found ourselves in. Kandrakar will have to fight."- the Oracle said to his shocked sages. "Kandrakar will have to fight long in order to win against the forces we'll be facing from this day on."

* * *

The purple portal opened for Halinor to walk out of it in the center of the Hall of the Congregation, looking around herself with concern. Then when her eyes fell on Will she immediately started talking:

"Will, your parents are looking for you."- she said. "All of the others have already started to scatter, but they're still there, talking."

"Yeah, I think I've had enough of my parents and their dramatic life for a while."- the redhead retorted. "Let them look. We have bigger problems here. Come, Halinor, you're right on time."

The former guardian nodded and lined up with the rest of the girls. The entire Council had gathered in the amphitheater-like hall. Cornelia turned to the elders and ordered them:

"Alright, everybody. As you know, there's darkness lingering between you. In order to drive it away together with these clouds in the sky and the whole entire bad omen, we'll have to perform a ritual."

Taranee ignited the bonfire they had put together in the center of the room and gave them a sign to follow her:

"This ancient Earth ritual will symbolize the banishing of the evil. We're going to burn all the negative powers together with these special herbs."- Will went on cautiously, just as Irma stepped to the fire to add the said herbs to it. "Start circling it the fire! Take slow and steady steps, once you complete the 9 rings, we'll douse the fire and protect the Fortress."

The majority of the elders didn't look to convinced, but one by one, they obeyed the orders, nevertheless. They were ready to do anything to protect Kandrakar. And since they couldn't fight this darkness on their own, the only thing they could do was trust the guardians.

The guardians exchanged glances and took positions. The ritual had started. Hay Lin flew above the sages walking in a circle, while Taranee took a look of the darkening skies from the open balconies. The rest just stood aside and watched over a hundred elders perform the ritual.

"It's you!"

Hay Lin had listened carefully. She strained herself to the end. She had listened to a hundred different footsteps made by a hundred different individuals, but in the end, she had recognized him: the one who had been following them through that corridor earlier.

What happened next was lighting-like. Hay Lin's winds separated the revealed culprit from the other elders. Before he knew it, Irma's water wrapped around his body like the tentacles of an octopus. Then a new gust of freezing air turned the water into his new ice shackles. The five guardians surrounded the man just when the Oracle, Tibor and Luba arrived at the scene, followed by the astounded eyes of the other elders:

"How?!"- the captive panted.

"Never underestimate the power of the five united guardians, Kandor."- Himerish stated carefully, meeting the other man's hateful glare. "You've always had a particular interest for the Aurameeres, yet you never learned that the true might of Kandrakar is not in them. It's in these girls."

Kandor was a man of a certain age, with grizzled frizzy hair and beard, but his eyes were what really gave away his long years. They looked so...ancient. They darted around, almost in denial for being caught like that as Luba attacked him:

"Kandor, you dishonest worm, you're under vow! How dare you betray Kandrakar for the sake of your personal agendas after so many years of service?! Is this your gratitude?!"

"When you came here from Coronia, you were determined to work towards the better good. We should've seen through your lies."- Tibor added strictly. "We've been fools to trust you on your word-"

"Wait what? This geezer is Coronian?"- Irma's jaw hung and then tensed into an annoyed grimace. "Could've told us that earlier to narrow the search, but noo-"

But nobody paid attention to her; Kandor smiled darkly at his colleagues:

"Who has said that I'm no longer determined to work towards the better good? That's exactly what I'm doing. But for my homeland. For Coronia."- Kandor looked at the guardians. "Even if I die, it won't matter, because I've helped my people. The real people of Coronia; Kandrakar happened to be an obstacle in our way. It's not about gratitude, it's about where my heart lies."

"For years you've been here and you would've probably continued to remain undetected, had you not gone too far by cursing the pride and honor of the Fortress with this bad omen."- Halinor said quietly. "Disgusting! You have no spine, Kandor! Your Queen banished you, she threw you out of her palace, because of your opposition, yet that has obviously meant nothing to you!"

"Of course it meant nothing! Queen Icona was a purblind nimrod!"- Kandor hissed. "Her faith in equality was never enough to stop me from believing that my country deserves better than to be deprived of its true gold aristocracy!"

"Icona ousted him and you took him here?! Seriously?!"- Irma interrupted again. "Are you all stupid? Why didn't you tell us about all this earlier, you've known what we're supposed to face for months!"

"Irma!"- Will scolded her friend, even though her blood was boiling too. Kandrakar was keeping things from them. _Again_. It was terrible, offensive and made no sense, but she had to keep her friends, whose anger she could feel, under control.

The Oracle was obviously feeling that too, but he never addressed it. He just continued to observe Kandor's reactions:

"The guardians won you a victory against me, but how will they win against all the gold-blooded?"- he laughed. "You don't even trust them enough to tell them everything. Your guardians are disinformed, Oracle, that's why they'll never stop the Dark Descendant from rising!"

_\- This is despicable!_ \- Cornelia raged in telepathy. - _Why the hell would they do this?! That old ass is right! It's like they want the darkness to win!_

-_ All these months they basically lied to us. They knew about the Dark Descendant before us! Yet they did nothing_. - Taranee joined in. - _That's mindless..._

-_ I hate and despise them._ \- Irma averred. - _I'm SURE they did this on purpose. They just want us to have a hard time, every time, you get what I'm saying?_

\- _We'll talk about this later-_

Demanding the other guardians' attention, Will broke the telepathic connection and stood in front of the captured culprit:

"That's not entirely true."- she told him coldly. "Hay Lin's powers helped her distinguish you amid a hundred others. We heard you following us an hour ago, that's why we deliberately prolonged our conversation to win her time, and you were thunder-struck when we caught you, right? Just like we easily bested you, we'll best Leonida and all the other people in your outdated cult."

"But of course you did. After all, you're on Kandrakar territory, where your powers are in their zenith."- Kandor laughed as Will squinted her eyes. "That will not always be so. Princess Leonida? What does she have to do with us? She is mentally unstable and cannot be trusted, she's not a part of our society-"

"Who cares about your stupid society?"- Cornelia interrupted him angrily. "Once Elyon takes charge on Coronia, each and every one of you boomers will be jailed. Just like your princess, just like your Descendant. You're never going to see your homeland divided again either! Today was your curtain call, grandpa, that was it. It's over! You failed in everything, so quit gloating! "

Kandor shook his head and laughed at the blonde:

"Oh, you have no idea how wrong you are."

"How is she wrong?"- Hay Lin stepped upfront. "We captured you, Kandor. You were the inside job person who was trying to blind Kandrakar to help the so-called society you're a part of, and we figured it out. We captured you before you could wrap it up, you're no longer a relevant threat to anyone!"

The old man moved in his ice, ever so slightly, meeting the Oracle's eyes:

"True, but not quite. You sense it, don't you Oracle? My curse is almost here. With or without me, it will be unleashed upon the Fortress, I spent years perfecting it for this day! You have already sensed it, no doubt..."

"What is he talking about?!"- Taranee turned to the Council.

Halinor also looked around herself anxiously, and Himerish just closed his eyes in sad resignation.

"Oracle?!"

"The war for the Fortress is yet to begin."- he admitted in a loud tone. "I sense _seven_ plagues coming our way, conjured by Kandor's black magic. I only regret I sense them so late..."

"What?!"- the guardians exclaimed in unison.

Anxious whispers started to go around the Hall. The elders looked at each other, searching for courage in each other's eyes, for the prognosis their leader had just made utterly terrified all of them...

"Tibor, Luba- divide everyone into two groups."- Himerish began giving orders. "Call Orube at once- the first plague will soon hit us, but it shall come from outside the Fortress, we must protect the main walls and start building a mini veil. Now!"

Fast like arrows, the elders got to work. Halinor could only silence her gasp with her hands as she and the girls observed the belligerent ambiance that had just overtaken the entire Fortress:

"You'll never stop all seven of the plagues!"- Kandor laughed maniacally. "You're not enough people! You won't have the energy and magic to keep the Fortress whole! Kandrakar will fall!"

Himerish did not reply to that, he simply gave the man a stone gaze:

"Only time will tell, Kandor. Hope dies last, so does the light of this Fortress."- with that, and a swing of his hand, the bald man put the traitor to sleep.

"Oh, goodie, now Kandrakar will be under a 24/7 siege!"- Irma yelled. She glared at the Oracle, as Taranee placed her hand on her shoulder: "Hope it was worth the lies and deceits you gave this time, oh wise one! Had you shared this with us earlier, maybe this could've been avoided, but all I can tell you this time is good luck! Don't expect of us to tag along on this front of the 'war'."

"I do not expect that of you, Irma. Once the first plague hits us, all ways to Kandrakar will be closed. You'll be back on Earth by then. Your battle is for the peace of the Infinite Dimensions."

"So we'll be all alone against this darkness."- Taranee noted bitterly. "Nice. Weren't you, as our counselors, supposed to guide us and provide us with key information? Instead you hid it from us!"

"You'll manage, Taranee. I have full faith in all of you, guardians. Now go. Go and pray for Kandrakar to hold up."- the man ushered the five women a few feet away from Kandor and brought them together in a circle around himself.

Their expressions were reluctant and angry at first, but they quickly gave in to his softness and sincerity:

"I know that now you put the blame on us and you're in your right to do so."- he began warmly, his arms around Cornelia and Irma's shoulders. "One day, you will understand why I had to keep hiding the existence of the Dark Descendant from you, as long as it was possible. But now: now you'll have to just accept things as they are and fight. You have got to work in harmony to overcome what is to come. What even I can't predict at the moment of speaking."- he stopped for a minute and ran his hand, gently, though each of the girls' heads. "I can only tell that it is to be dark, gruesome, and hard. Hard but not impossible for respected guardians such as yourselves, to overcome. My blessings and belief are with all of you. Help each other and maintain harmony in your group, as well as with the former guardians. You'll need everyone you can have on your side to emerge victorious. You have to have true fortitude."

A purple portal opened behind them. Himerish made Halinor a sign to come closer too, before turning to the group one last time:

"Take Kandor with yourselves. Take him to Nerissa and extract all information you can from him. She will do that, undoubtedly, I have full trust in her skills... And Halinor."- the seer put his hand on the woman's shoulder with a soft smile: "Do not fret to tell Nerissa you only hid this from her, for the sake of Kandrakar and your vow to me. I liberate you of this vow now. You and your old friends will teach the girls all that you know. All that can be useful to them in the war with the darkness."

"Yes, Oracle."- the ex-guardian promised and smiled back.

"Good. Now go."- that smile the Oracle gave them then, each of them would remember. Forever. A smile so bright, yet sad at the same time. A smile of a proud teacher sending his students to the hardest of tests- life itself. "Go and_ pray_ for Kandrakar. If all of us maintain faith, faith strong enough and untiring, no matter what, one day, we will meet here again. We will meet here to celebrate yet another victory."

* * *

_A/N: Almost at Arc.4! 2 chapters to go. Stay tuned and let me in on your thoughts. 💜_


	38. Missing Pieces

**_Chapter 38: M__issing Pieces_**

_"E__very evil is caused by actions and inactions. Every darkness is the reflection of blind light."_

_Previously on The Dark Descendant: ~ _**The mysterious dethroned princess of Coronia, the one the guardians had helped 9 years ago, united with Phobos and planned to retrieve her lost positions. Nerissa and the girls managed to capture them, but not dispose of them, for Leonida turned out to be with child. Phobos's child.**  
**The people of Coronia forced Elyon to wed their prince as soon as possible. On Kandrakar, a traitor, Kandor, a man from Coronia, put the entire fortress under 'Grim Siege' (chapter 37), occupying all the elders of the Council with longtime problems to solve. Now, only the ex-guardians can handle parts of an old truth about the Dark Descendant, a threat that seems to loom closer and closer above everyone, but how? Missing pieces of the puzzle are coming together. Missing pieces of Leonida's past too…~**

* * *

_**Coronia, 20 years ago**_

"Daddy! Daddy, you can't catch me!"- the 8-year-old blonde girl's effervescent laughter rang across the lush meadows. "I'm faster than you!"

She was racing the fireflies as she ran, surrounded by the most gorgeous of nature that was bathed in gold by the setting rays of the afternoon sun. The young princess ran as fast as her short legs and the sky-blue gown allowed her too, even if she didn't care whether she'll trash the expensive clothes whilst playing. It was perfectly normal- the royal tailors and maids would take care of it, anyway. Despite her young age, the little blonde princess was used to the beauty and the riches. After all, the big majestic palace in the background was her home.

"Got ya!"

The girl squalled from surprise as her father's strong arms came out of nowhere and lifted her up in the air, swinging her around in a playful flight.

"Daddy, you cheated again!"- she protested once she stopped giggling and then pouted at the King. "You didn't count to the end!"

"What? Of course, I did!"- her father laughed at her antics and put her back on the ground, ruffling her long honey-colored locks, secured with a bow of her own hair at the back. "You're tired, Leonida, we've been playing tag for hours. Perhaps you're hungry? Should we head back to the palace?"

"Uh-huh."- Leonida agreed and took his hand.

King Andan smiled down and his daughter and led her back across the paths towards their home. They had spent the entire day out; it was time for some rest.

Coronia was a paradise of nature, colors and gold, and despite its big sizes, the capital made no exception. Not only was it the perfect place to raise their children, it was also so easy and convenient- his wife's kingdom was a true piece of paradise. Flowers, meadows, and forests all around the big Palace, and the best of the best wherever they turn to. Food, clothes, gold, education, medicine, everything worthy of royals was for everyone, even the villagers. Andan loved his family and his homeland, and couldn't be happier with his life.

"Andan? Where were you?"

Andan lifted his head to see the figure of his wife in her sumptuous dress approach. Magana was a beautiful woman; each time he was her, his heart warmed with his love for her. Today, her long bangs were twisted and secured behind her ears, and her wreathed ends were framing her chest. Magana smiled back at him, as he appeared to be lost:

"Andan?"

"Oh? We played outdoors."- Andan retorted and threw his arm around her shoulders. "Your daughter is full of energy; she needs to waste it on something."

"Indeed."- Magana agreed. "I just wish that she'd focus more on her studies and practices. She has a lot to learn, Andan. After all, one day, she will be Queen of this magnificent realm."

"Magana, please! She's only eight."

But he wasn't to argue once his wife placed her hands on his chest and smiled:

"You understand what I mean to say."- she said warmly. "Come, you should freshen up before dinner."

The pair started to walk towards the royal chambers together. The long regal corridors of the palace were blinding with their marble floors and richly ornamented walls, incrusted with diamonds. The Aureate Edifice was an architectural masterpiece, both interiorwise and exteriorwise. There were many rooms along the corridors that had different purposes.

The royal couple was just passing by one of the many of the parlors where the royal nannies usually had the youngsters play, when the Queen happened to let her eyes fall on something inside. That scene made her let out a terrified scream:

"Leonida! Leonida, leave your brother at once! What in Gold's name are you doing?"

Leonida flinched and dropped the pillow she had been holding, but it was of no use. She had already been seen. She had been seen standing by her sleeping brother with the pillow, suspiciously close to his head...

Why were they left with no watch was something she'd scold the staff for later. In that moment, the young Queen focused all her anger on her daughter:

"What do you think you're doing, Leonida!"- she screamed at the girl that recoiled in shock once her mother swung her hand as if to slap her. Instead, Magana grabbed the sleeping toddler from the floor and pressed him against herself. "Did you use your powers on your brother? Did you put him to sleep?! What were you doing with that pillow!?"

"Magana, calm down."- Andan ushered as he came to lift their frightened daughter up in his embrace.

Little Andan junior was just waking up, looking up at his mother with his big sleepy eyes.

"Mommy?"

"He's alright, darling. Why do you have to overreact? Everything's fine. Leonida wasn't trying to hurt him."

"Mommy...Andan must have fallen asleep while playing with his toys here...I just wanted to get him a pillow, so that he's more comfortable."- the young princess explained in a tiny voice. "I'm sorry, mommy."

Magana looked down in chagrin. Her son was calmly playing with her necklace. Her husband aimed his attention at Leonida once again, trying to comfort her with his big smile and fatherly affection. Oh, he was a great father. But he didn't know what she did...

"There's nothing to be sorry about, goldfish."- he cooed. "We are well aware that you'd _never_ do anything to hurt us. Even your mom scolded you just because Andan is still very young and hence he should be taken care of more thoroughly. Isn't that right, Magana darling?"

Magana forced a smile as she nodded. The young princess was soon back to her usual self. She left the room, skipping. Her father had done an excellent job with soothing her. But who would sooth her?

_No Magana_, the Queen said to herself. _You must be stronger that that in order to overcome it. And you have to overcome it. You have to protect your family and your people, no matter what..._

* * *

_**14 years later**_

"You knew, didn't you, daddy?! You planned this together!"- Leonida muttered bitterly, glaring at the man in front of herself. This man had once been like a God in her eyes. Her father... But now he was just another one of her _enemies..._

"Leonida, calm down, goldfish."- the King tried to reason with her, "Whatever has happened cannot be irreparable. Why are you so angry?"

She closed her eyes at the nickname of affection. Once it had been so special, now, she wasn't so sure anymore. She wasn't so sure whether she could believe her father at all.

"Don't pretend, daddy! You support your wife's decision, you always have!"- Leonida exclaimed haplessly. "She puts her people before me, and so do you! You have no faith in me whatsoever..."

Her father was a man in his prime, but that look of painful confusion on his face aged him with years. How was he so good at faking it? He knew everything, for Gold's sake! If he was such a good actor, perhaps he had faked his love for her too...

"Leonida, your mother's the Queen of Coronia, but rest assured that she'd never take a decision to our detriment, regardless of the circumstances-"

"But she did!"- the princess screamed, shoving the scroll the had in her hands, in her father's face. "She did! Look at this! Read it!"

King Andan didn't move from his place as the young woman handed him the scroll angrily. She basically pushed it in his open hands, as his eyes lowered to read it in disbelief:

"This...this can't be- "- he murmured, but her shrill scream cut him off:

"Apparently it can! All her fads, all that she has been doing over the years and all she wanted me to abide by, I've obediently gone along with ...and for what? FOR WHAT?! So that she could transfer all my rights to Koral?!"- Leonida's eyes shone dangerously at the mentioning of that. "Koral's going to be her new King? Quotha!"

"Leonida, where is Koral?"- the King asked seriously, his throat dry. Suddenly, he had this terrible feeling. Perhaps it had to do with the look of pure rage in his daughter's eyes. Yes, he was bracing himself for the worst, but that didn't help him be less shocked when he heard her dreadful confession:

"Koral is no more, daddy. I _killed him!_ What did you think, that I'd let my _arranged husband_ take away all that is rightfully mine?! My kingdom, my position, my powers! _Never._"

"Oh, Leonida...You've committed a murder..."

"Yes! That I have! You left me no other choice- "- she snapped, her bloodshot-red eyes sparkling angrily. Andan's expression of denial was irking her. What did he _not_ understand?! He and her mother had wanted this stranger to marry her and she had accepted, but knowing that it had all been for her to lose her positions...that was the real gamechanger. She would never allow it, what had they even thought...

"Mother wished to strip me of all my rights. How could I let that spline have what's mine, daddy? I had to kill him."- the honey-haired woman insisted.

"He was Dua's father-"- Andan argued with the princess. "Your son's father! Whatever he has done, killing him was-"

"It was the only thing I could do to cancel the enchanted contract."- Leonida hissed and eyed the scroll that her father's hands had dropped on the floor in his shock. "This document...My mother, my own mother, used it to beguile and strip me off of what has always been rightfully mine. And you know, daddy, the worst thing is that I don't even know why! Why did she never regain her trust in me ever since the accident with Dua? Three years in a row I've been trying to indemnify everyone for falling in love with that beguiler, when it's _my_ heart that was broken to pieces...But enough is enough."- Leonida rubbed her cheeks dry, wiping the remaining tears in the end of her dress. "I am tired of having to prove my worth! I am the Queen of Coronia, my mother isn't anymore! That being the case, I reprieve myself for my actions against Koral, for his death will be written down as an execution. An execution for treason and plotting against the crown, which makes his murder by all means mandatory and _justifies_ it."

The King watched her get ready to leave in silence. He couldn't believe. He couldn't believe what was happening with his own daughter.

"You didn't know about all this? About the enchanted contract with the invisible ink?"- Leonida heeded, turning around to look at her speechless father.

The big royal relaxation room glistened with the sunlight that came in through the huge, majestic windows, reflecting in all the golden surfaces, including her hair and making all the brilliance almost unbearable. Unbearable, but remarkably beautiful.

Leonida's eyes sought her father's and recognized his truth:

"I'm sorry, daddy. I should've known that mother has acted behind your back."- she muttered. "It's Magana whose love for me has been slowly dying throughout the years... You still care about me."- the sincere smile on her face was embittered as she added: "I just wish on all stars that you could express it more, like in the past..."

That seemed to sting. The King turned his glare towards his daughter and aimed his rebook at her:

"How could you even say that?! I love you more than I love anything else. You're my princess! That's without a doubt why seeing you make such huge mistakes kills me, Leonida! Mistakes that you were supposed to be aware of beforehand, after having to drink from the Spring!"

"If you're referring to Koral's murder, I had no other choice."- Leonida cried. "I did it for my people and my kingdom! They need me! I'm their rightful Queen- "

"No, Leonida. You lie. You did it for yourself, because you're scared of losing your crown."- Andan shook his head as he approached her. "The crown and the Spring changed you, but it wasn't for better. It depraves you, don't you see it, dear?! The golden power _tainted_ your pure heart-"

"No, no!"- Leonida protested, but her tears were already falling again. Her father's reproof was about the last she could take. "Don't talk like that, daddy. Don't talk like _her_!"

"I'm your father and I have to tell you that you're on the wrong!"- the man insisted with his hands on her shoulders. "Once you didn't even care about power, the crown or your positions. That graumer might have tricked you, but be honest with yourself; were you not happier then than you've ever been before meeting him and respectively after the guardians saved you?! I've seen how the Golden Spring impacts Queens before, Leonida, that's why I understood your mother's lack of desire to put the crown on your head. Especially when so young...But, alas, we had to, in order to save you and the realm, we had no other choice...And see what happened because of that; the so-called wisdom and grace that these waters should've given you, made you murder people in order to keep them..."

Leonida closed her eyes and sobbed at the realization that his words were practically the truth. But even if she knew it, she couldn't help it. She couldn't stop herself from zealously protecting her portion of golden water and her place on the throne...ever since her coronation, three years ago, these had been the only things on her mind; the only thing that could make her fell fulfilled.

"Corruption and darkness are always looming above us, Leonida, but we have to be strong enough to resist them before we've entered a vicious cycle. A cycle of pain, regrets and wrong choices."

"Oh, daddy..."

"I will not let you go, Leonida. I will not let you surrender your heart to the darkness."

Andan held her hand firmly, urging her to look back at him. Leonida smiled at her father.

"Now, I'd like to have tea with my daughter. I would like to drink my daughter's tea."

"And Koral...My mother's distrust-"- the princess hesitated, but her father was quick to reassure her:

"No, goldfish. That's not important right now. Magana will face me, we will talk this through. What's important is your welfare. I'm a father and I'm your father, goldfish. I want your life to be free of the darkness more than anything else."

The princess smiled through tears. Even after everything, her father was still there for her. To love her. She should've known...She should've never forgotten her father would never leave her.

She wiped her tears and went in the opulent royal kitchens. She brewed the water and prepared all that was needed for the tea with a smile on her face. After it was all ready, she got everything on a tray and headed back for the royal saloon where she set it all on the table and sat down to drink a cup with her father. Balm tea, his favorite... Andan smiled at her as he sipped from his cup. The chipped Victorian cup that happened to be his favorite...Leonida knew it well, she knew all her father's likes and dislikes, he was special to her as she was to him.

The young princess smiled and for a moment, the trouble seemed to fade. She had even almost forgotten about her mother and Koral's betrayal... But then, her father started to cough...Leonida's smile quenched as the chipped cup fell to the floor. Andan put his hands on his chest as if he was suffocating...he slumped to the floor...

"Daddy!? Daddy, what's wrong-"

The King didn't have the air to answer her. Leonida's terrified screams attracted the maids and the guards, but none of them seemed willing to approach the scene. Her father was_ dying_ in her arms...Why were they just standing there?!

"Call the healers, immediately!"- Leonida demanded, looking up at them. One of the maids whispered something in the other's ear and then, she suddenly realized. They had all seen her prepare the tea...They all _suspected_ her...

"You!"- the young Queen barked and pointed at the gossiper. "What are you doing while my father's suffering? Are you implying that I've done this to him? Are you rumoring in my face!?"

The royal healers were already rushing towards the saloon, called by two guards, as the rest of the staff stared at their Queen. The maid that Leonida had her anger aimed at, didn't say anything. That enraged the honey-haired woman even more:

"Rat fink! I will have you hanged!"

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, your father..."- Visser, their most loyal manciple exclaimed. He had rushed in the saloon together with the healer and two nurses.

That instantly made her turn around and rush by his side:

"Daddy! Daddy, you're going to recover, don't fret!"- Leonida exclaimed as the man struggled to hold her hand while fighting for breath. His last breath...

"Leonida..."- his last word happened to be her name. He couldn't even finish what he had wanted to say. The woman stared at her lifeless father in denial.

"Daddy! Daddy, open your eyes! Daddy, no!"- then she turned her tear-filled eyes towards the healer. "What is wrong with you?! Take my father to the hospital wing right now! He needs treatment!"

"I'm terribly sorry, your Majesty, but it is already too late. _Nothing_ could have saved your father. He's dead...My condolences."

"What?! How is that possible, my father's a healthy strong man in his prime! Bring him back!"- Leondia screamed, shaking her head. "I said bring him back!"

"Your Majesty, collect yourself."- Visser tried to comfort her, but Leonida pulled away:

"No, Visser, I demand an explanation! How could my father just go out like that...like, like a candle! That's impossible! My father-"

"Your father isn't poisoned, nor did her succumb to an illness. His death was as sudden as that, for your father was _iced_ by dark magic."- the healer explained. "A very powerful dark magic that came out of the hands of a disquieted magic user."

The young Queen stood up and just blinked as she felt a chill run down her back and the eyes of everyone on her...Her father, the man who had always loved her unconditionally, had just left her. He had left her and they all blamed her...

"Magana's cursed daughter. Look what she did now. She killed the King!"- the maid that had originally started gossiping, whispered again.

"No, NO!"- Leonida roared on the top of her lungs. "That's not true! You're lying!"- she hissed, attacking the royal healer. "You're lying, aren't you?! I will kill you! _I will kill you all!_"

Visser tried to stop the honey-haired woman, but she pushed him off. She lifted the royal healer by the collar of his clothing and threw him to the ground truculently. Then her powerful magic aura pushed the rest of the present staff down.

"I'm not cursed and I'm not abdicating my throne!"- Leonida's voice thundered before she exited the saloon in a mad step. "You will all be reminded of your places, _very_ soon!"

* * *

Leonida was tired of running. The skirts of her dress were torn at numerous places. Her hair was more unkept than it had even been. But she had been running, running for days. She couldn't keep up any longer. They were after her day and night, she couldn't take it any longer. She turned around and they were there again. That hateful priest and her mother's soldiers. They were all there to have not only her crown, but her head along with it...

"Leave me ALONE!"- the rejected Queen yelled at the approaching men and threw one of her best shots at them. In vain. The priest kept mumbling something under his nose while holding onto a fistful of beads...His invisible shield repelled her attack yet again, allowing the soldiers to keep approaching her undisturbed.

Leondia bared her teeth at the man as she took another step back. He was old, with just a girdle to cover his most private parts. His body was covered in mystic ruins and his wrists and ankles in ancient jewels. Not many magic users dwelled in Coronia, but he was definitely one of the strongest. In fact, Leonida could almost swear that this man was the same ancient guru described in many of the legends she had read in her younger years.

Nevertheless, she had to get to the Sealed Room and take what was hers. She couldn't spend another day on Coronia, not when she was being rejected by the Crown and her mother, herself. Soon, all her subjects would get to know of her being sent in exile. She couldn't allow that...She needed to gather what was hers and retreat to gather more forces. But in order to do that, she had to lose those who had been sent to get her...

"Surrender, princess Leonida, you're weak and outnumbered!"- the chief soldier proclaimed. "Allow us to take you to Queen Magana before this scandal reaches the public. Cooperate to your Queen, she's your mother and will show you mercy; that's the only way for you to live freely. Now that you're a criminal, you have no other choices!"

"I'm your Queen, not she!"- the honey-haired yelled in outrage, but then smiled bitterly. "Mercy?! My mother?!"- she giggled painfully. "She's been plotting against me for years, do you really believe that I'm gullible enough to fall for yet another one of her evil tricks? I will have what's mine and I'll leave this land, but one day, I will return stronger and I will claim my kingdom back, I vow to that."- she said in a low voice, glaring at the soldiers.

The night was cold and foggy. They had followed her to the rural graveyard outside the capital, the closest to the Palace, which spread alongside the most of the western border. The ideal place to lose her pursuers...

"That will never happen, princess. Queen Magana's order will be met, no matter how much magic you use against us. We have the Spiritual Master with us. His mantras are strong enough to protects us."

"Indeed they are."- Leonida smiled awry as the men held their weapons higher, ready to seize her. Her attention, however, she had on the oldest of them. His pale blue, almost white eyes, followed her every move:

"I'm sorry, Spiritual Master. But the spirits didn't give you enough wisdom this time. You turned against your rightful Queen. This is why, you'll find _your death_."- she added maliciously, just before her feet left the ground. Her magic hit the surface and the ground was no plain grass anymore...

"This graveyard was once a bewitched dark swamp, the deluge of which let no rural man or magician out of its territory alive! Before the magic of the Queen changed it, it was a trap for all who breathe! Now I've restored its original form. I'm sorry, boys."- the princess hissed as she flew away. "But you betrayed me, and treason against me is and always will be, punished with scaffold!"

When she finally reached the Aureate Edifice, the lack of guards and staff didn't astound her for she didn't have time to think about it. She had to get to the Sealed Room at once. A few days ago, when her mother had chased her out of the Palace, she hadn't had the time needed to collect her golden water...Now she needed to take it with herself because she was leaving for good.

Leonida stood in front of the beautiful door and even touched it, but it didn't open. She tried commanding it, but that did nothing as well. Just when she was beginning to panic, she heard a familiar voice behind herself:

"Welcome back home, Leonida. I knew you'd come back to take your bottle. Don't look so surprised, that door will never open for you again."- Magana emerged from the shadows, coming to light in the torch-lit hall. She carried a crown on her head, matching the magenta rhinestones on her dress. Her face was twisted in a cold grimace. "The Sealed Room can only be opened by the Queen of this realm, and that is no longer you!"

"No! I am the Queen!"- Leonida screamed in despair, not even caring about the fact that her mother had clearly ambushed her. "What have you done to the door?! I...I rubbed Koral off, I'm the rightful ruler of this kingdom, I-"

"Did you really think that Koral would get all legitimate rights and powers of the Golden Spring after you're dethroned?"- Magana inquired, the pain in her voice while uttering these words- audible. "Koral was a mere liaison, Leonida. When you killed him, he had already given all rights back to the most capable among us. _Me_."

As she said that, the door of the Sealed Room behind the princess opened. She turned around and saw her portion of Golden Water, standing peacefully on the altar in the middle of the opulent room...Her water which she had no rights over anymore...thanks to her evil mother.

"You are my worst enemy!"- Leonida screamed at the older woman. "How could you do this to me?! I'm your daughter! How could you plot and skim against me, how could you steal my rights!?"

"You only got all that authority early in life, because there was no other way to save you, three years ago, back when I still believed that you could be saved."- Magana shook her head. "But now I see, Leonida, even that has been a part of your conspiracies! Your true nature..."

"What are you TALKING about?! I was under the influence of a creature that cruelly used me after it made me fall in love with it! I wasn't in control of myself and actions!"- her daughter protested. She had expected her mother to lash out at her, but this was beyond it. Magana hated her; she could see it in her eyes.

"And you'll never be."- the hazel-haired woman murmured.

Dazed, the princess turned to see the door of the Sealed Room was slammed shut, before the two of them were teletransported away.

Once her eyes could see again, Leonida looked around herself, shocked, only to find out that they were in the Throne Room.

"Here, Leonida, I brought you here one last time to have a look at this. This is what is left of your father!"- the Queen cried, pointing at the urn which was left on her husband's empty throne. "He loved you more than he loved himself, yet you killed him!"

"No..."

"You made a mistake, Leonida. You should've killed _me_."

"I DID NOT-"

But she couldn't finish, because Magana's spell had started to wall up her body in hard clay to the point where she could no longer move. It was fast, and it was spreading all over.

"What are you doing to me?!"

"I'm just making sure that you won't run away again."- her mother sniffed. "I'm sorry, Leonida, but after your latest crimes, I have no other choice. I have to remove you from this kingdom for good. But not together with you free will. I have to protect Coronia from you once and for all. Guru, we're ready to begin."

"Spiritual Master..."- Leonida muttered under her nose, as the man came to light. "But how...I disposed of you..."

"You thought of a vile way to lose my people and triggered their death, but you underestimated the Spiritual Master."- Magana declared while the man started to mumble new mantras under his nose. "He's been Coronia's magic patron for generations! And since it's impossible to exorcise the darkness within you, we shall neutralize you differently."

"Exorcise, darkness, you're talking as if I'm truly cursed!"- Leonida screamed, throwing her head back madly. "But I'm not some jinx, I'm your daughter! You-"

"NO, YOU ARE! YOU ARE INDEED A CURSE!"

The mature Queen's sudden snapping had her daughter in absolute shock. Magana was breathing heavily as she turned to glare at her, her hazel eyes swimming in hot tears:

"You are a curse, a curse that is meant to destroy Coronia as we know it and threaten the balance in the entire Universe! You're the Dark Descendant, Leonida. An ancient evil that strives to engulf the known lands in _darkness_!"

"No..."- the blonde shook her head in bitter denial. "That's not true..."

"It's quite true! 22 years ago, when my mother came to warn me about your fate, you murdered her, now you've murdered your father also, along with all the others that have fallen victims to your darkness. Your true nature!"- Magana was weeping and yelling at the same time. She turned her reddened eyes to her daughter once again. "All the other incidents that have been a part of life with you! All my attempts to change you, it was all in vain! Your way has long been predestined! But now I'll do what I had to do long ago. I will protect my people from your heinous nature!"

The clay broke in a second. Magana lost her balance and landed on the floor only to lift her head and come to the horrifying realization: Leonida was free and frustrated.

"My heinous nature? MY HEINOUS NATURE?"- she shouted repeatedly. "I'll show you heinous!"

Magana's jaw was stiff from hanging as the terror in her eyes kept growing with every next move of her daughter's. Leonida's entire body glowed dangerously. Ominously, like liquid gold _poison_...Her immense strength and magical energy were already burning her mother's skin...

"You took it all from me, mother. You snatched my title, my crown, my golden water, but this is what you could never take!"- the princess screamed in an echoing voice. "My talent to be heinous! You want a curse for a daughter?! I'll give you a curse to remember!"

The Spiritual Master had tried to intervene, but Leonida's magic smashed him in one of the walls. Her rage was too much to handle..She looked around herself one last time before glaring down at the panting queen:

"Queen Magana, I will have what is mine back. You shall not stand between me and my kingdom!"

But her voice got stuck in her throat, as her throat opened for her to scream of the sudden overwhelming pain she felt from behind. Something, or rather someone, was sucking the energy out of her...

"Andan!"- Magana exclaimed in relief as she met her son's eyes. The young man held a golden idol above his sister's head. "Thank the fays of the ancient wisdom..."

"You already undid my father. I shall not allow you to hurt my mother too."- Andan said in a loud, cold voice.

"No!"- Leonida gasped, dying to grab the idol from her brother's hands, but unable to even stand up. Its power kept her pinned down. It made her weak and hardly even allowed her to talk..."The order of Coronia..."

"The order of Coronia is created to protect its rightful Queen. My mother!"- Andan countered.

"No...you will all regret this! You WILL REGRET!"- the ex-Queen screamed as she felt her powers being drained from her body.

"Spiritual Master, now!"- Magana, who had finally grabbed a hold of herself, shrieked.

The old guru approached the mother and son, who struggled to keep the raging dethroned princess under control with the help of the idol that was draining her power...

"Kill me now, Magana of Coronia."- Leonida hissed, throwing one last glare at her mother's figure. "Kill me while you still can, because one day; One day I will return and I will make you pay dearly for all that you've done to me..."

"No, you will not."- Magana said in a dismal voice as the Spiritual Master kept mumbling some words under his nose. His hands squashed the beads and the feathers he had taken out of his patch... "From this moment on, you'll never be able to approach us again, Leonida. Me, this family, the kingdom... You will be exiled for your own good."

"Ha!"- her daughter croaked mockingly. "Do you believe yourself? I will find a way! I will find a way to get back to my rightful position, I swear. You shall never win, mother, never. I will show you just how wrong you are! I promise you, you self-absorbed matron!"

Magana squinted her eyes, but said nothing. The mantras were all said. The Spiritual Master threw the dust of his ingredients at Leonida, who screamed in agony. For the next part, her mother had to close her eyes. Her anger and her sadness had been fighting the entire time, and having to do this, as a mother, was hurting her enough. It would keep hurting her, the memory of it, till her last days...Only Andan watched motionlessly as his sister's body burnt and changed in size a few times. When the sparks of the ancient curse died down, all that was left of Leonida Coronia were a few golden feathers. The feathers of the Golden Cuckoo...

* * *

_**Six years later, Infinite City dungeons, Meridian**_

His days in the dungeon were as long and eventless as an eternity of silence and misery. He was sentenced exactly to that. He was to rot in here...in the dungeons of his very own kingdom, where he had once thrown prisoners. Now, he was the prisoner. He was a prisoner of his own destiny and actions...

Rage, pain, hurt? He was soaked in negative emotions. His life had never been a happy one, but ever since being put away for good, it had become even more depressing. However, in spite of it, in spite of the fact that this was his full tenth year in the dungeons, Phobos Escanor's wraith was keeping his ego alive. His ego and his hatred for all who had plotted against him gave him a reason to keep living... To keep breathing...The damp, slate air of the hideous cell.

_One day, sister. One day you will be kept here for the rest of your days_, Phobos thought as he reached to have a glass of the terrible water that the guards had left for him. It was warm and bitter, almost moldy, but he had to quench his thirst.

_That day is closer than you think, your Highness. Sorry, sorry...your Majesty._

Phobos almost choked on his own saliva. He looked around himself. Where was this voice coming from? Тhis lyrical female voice...He could hear in his head...He was considering it to be yet another mirage when he saw it. The golden bird. Just a few inches away from the polarized bars of his cell.

"What are you?!"- the Prince inquired incredulously. "How did you get in here?"

_You need not talk, your Majesty, we have already established a mental link. Please, I don't want us to be heard_, the cuckoo sent him another string of thoughts and gently moved its wings. _Your former Palace has a lot of drama going on in. Currently, everyone is trying to get the Queen and the rebel leader's mother to stop fighting._

Phobos snorted hatefully:

_I do not care. Actually, I'd be most happy if I hear that they've annihilated each other simultaneously! But say, what did you mean with your very first statement? Who are you?_

_I'm a big adherent of yours, Prince Phobos. We are bound together by fate. I've come to offer you a way to new beginnings. I've come to offer you an alliance. I'm here to offer you the retrieval of all that belongs to you._

Exhausted, but having seen a _golden_ opportunity, the prince smiled insidiously:

"I'm listening, my golden pet."

* * *

**_Arkhanta, present days_**

"Asa is in there. You may go talk to her. However, keep in mind that she's fragile and confused. Don't force anything on her, or you'll regret it."

Nerissa raised her eyebrows in a mocking fashion as she turned to Ari:

"Is that so, sire? Well then, if I'm not trusted then I better leave your kingdom at once."

And with that, she gave the man her back and casually started to make her way back the corridor. Raythor could only blink in perplexity, but before he could start following her, Ari's voice turned out to be faster:

"No. Wait, Mage. This is not right. Kandrakar sent you here, you can't just leave without even..."

"Oh, that's right. You requested Kandrakar's help and even if they were able to send another person to come, which they are not, they sent me."- Nerissa turned back on her heel, coming face to face with the ruler. "What does that have to tell us, Ari of Arkhanta?"

Ari was willing to snap back, but his son's look made him reconcile. He lowered his head in front of the woman's triumphant smile:

"I apologize."- he muttered as Maqi nodded at him. It was true, most of all, they wanted for Asa to fully recover. Nothing else was more important than that. "For all that I've caused you."

"That's right."- Nerissa purred and patted his shoulder ever so offhandedly. "Now scat."

"But..."

Ari gave up on protesting as soon as the dark-haired woman turned to him with those same mocking brows. He closed his mouth and just nodded reluctantly. He and his son had to obey and retreat, leaving Asa to the Mage, with the sole hope that it would be of use.

Nerissa waited to see the father and son-pair take a turn down the corridor before entering the hall where Asa was. Her green orbs immediately spotted her sitting on one couch near the windows.

"Good. So far, so good. Now what?"- Raythor wanted to know as he folded his arms on his chest.

Nerissa didn't reply at once, she graciously seated herself next to the girl, who didn't even acknowledge their presence. Her eyes were empty.

"Now, we'll just give Asa a little adrenaline life force surge."- she explained casually as she rolled the girl's left sleeve up. Then she concentrated and pressed her own arm against hers. The energy came flowing from her body, illuminating Asa's pale cheeks as the life force entered her and made her shake uncontrollably. Then, a few seconds later, her eyes seemed to finally come to focus.

"How did you..."- Raythor began amazed, failing to find the right words.

"Easy."- the Mage retorted and gently ran her fingers over the startled girl's head. She was just coming to her senses and was visibly restless.

"Ari said that the royal healers-"

"_Please_. As someone who has drained their own life force for decades, I know what works and what doesn't. "- Nerissa insisted. "Her body has been voided for so long. These states of wake sleep she falls into are a mere defensive reaction. Her system cannot bear it, everything around her terrifies her. After being robbed of their life force, non-magic users go through even severer consequences...She's a lucky one."

Asa stirred nervously in her place, having noticed the outsiders, but Nerissa was quick to use her power on a set of cups and jug that started moving at the other end of the room. The single cup that she had focused on, landed in her hand, full of water.

"Here. Drink this."- she ordered gently after adding a few drops of some mysterious vial to the contents of the cup. "It will help you feel better. Come on, drink up!"

Asa took the cup and drained it anxiously but quickly. Then, timidly, she stopped her big eyes on Nerissa.

"T-thank you."- she stammered.

"Good job. The King and his son will be satisfied."- Raythor thundered from behind the couch. "Our work here is not complete though, is it-"

"No."- the Mage agreed, crossing her legs. "Not yet. I will not torture you with interrogation, Asa. However, I do need to extract all the possible information you could've gathered while being held hostage, even unknowingly. I need you to fall asleep so that I can connect to you in your dream-"

"That won't be needed. Because I can do something better than that."

Nerissa raised both her high-arched brows even higher up at that statement:

"I can transmit all my memories to a single memory stone which I can give you."- the girl stood up firmly.

"And how exactly are you to do that?"- Nerissa wanted to know, inspecting the young girl in front of herself. "Only an experienced magic user with in-depth knowledge of telepathy and mental magic-"

Asa took a deep breath before interrupting her:

"I can do it as well, despite my young age and appearance. "- the young girl revealed to Raythor and Nerissa's astonishment. "Because, Mage, I'm the Heart of this realm. I'm the Heart of Arkhanta."

* * *

"The Heart of this world! She's the Heart of this world! You knew, didn't you? Of course you did! That's why you want to marry your son to her! To keep all the power within the royal family!"- Nerissa viciously attacked Ari in the secluded courtyard of the Scarlet Citadel, quarter of an hour post learning Asa's truth.

"All you bloody royals are the same."- Raythor murmured begrudgingly, glancing at the King who looked up to meet his eyes with a glare. "You could've said so earlier. Instead of attacking Meridian-"

"I didn't think that it was any of your business! Besides, the veil hindered us from reaching you earlier."- Ari barked. "I had no other option but to pray that Phobos hasn't discovered Asa's true identity. But then again, why had he kidnapped her in the first place? Who was he, who was Philipp, who was the Mage? So many questions and worries tore me apart over the weeks in which she was held hostage by your run-away tyrant. The kingdom suffered enough! I solemnly thank you for helping Asa, but that's about enough. I don't need your lections!"

"Sure you don't."- Nerissa mocked him. "All you care about is your little kingdoms. Indeed, you all are the same!"

"I'm terribly sorry."- Ari hissed coldly. "Not everybody can have great aspirations regarding the entire Universe like yourself!"

"And how could you? Look at you!"- the sorceress hissed, pointing at him with her hand. "You're an ordinary farmer who took hold of Arkhanta's reins by capturing a wild beast and subjecting its power to his will! Innovative? Sure you are, but only within the _scope of your fields_! You're not fit to control the Heart of this realm!"

"Enough, Mage! You are beyond glib to even _dare_ criticize and comment my actions as the legitimate ruler of this kingdom _in the very borders_ of this kingdom!"- Ari spat right in her face, but Nerissa didn't bulge. She just gifted him with a cold belittling look. "We requested your help. Not your interference in our private business!"

"Nerissa. Let's go."

Raythor was urging her, but she wasn't about to move her eyes first. Once the enraged king broke the intense eye duel between them himself, the ex-guardian slowly turned her back on him, keeping her otherwise full lips tightly shut in a livid grimace. He was a fool for denying her. Her experience was much vaster than his...The fact that Phobos had failed to uncover the girl's truth was a mere lucky chance, a gift of his haughty arrogance, but the king? King Ari? King Ari was a moron...

She was leaving. She was leaving, but she wasn't ready to reconcile. No, this was a temporary draw back. Raythor was guarding her back when another male voice reached Nerissa's ears from behind them:

"Mage, wait! We need to talk..."

* * *

It rained and rained. Fadden Hills hadn't seen such a furious early spring storm in years. Had Kadma Starlighter's residence not been up in Cypress Hills, the ex-guardian would've been afraid it would get _flooded_. But now she had much different worries. And _bothers_...

"That monster. That worthless, filthy creature!"- she exclaimed angrily, slamming her fist in the old piano. "I hope one of those plagues teaches him a valuable lesson once and for all!"

"Don't say that, Kadma, Kandrakar's wellbeing is directly related to that of so many worlds!"- Halinor cried.

None of the lamps inside the manor were on. The large drawing room was almost completely submerged in dusk; the pale afternoon sun rays that came from behind the thick clouds and the occasional lightings in the sky, were the only sources of light.

The three women inside the room were tense, anxious and completely unperturbed, despite the old man hanging in the air, chained in magical electric rings ... At this point, he had stopped fighting to set himself free. He had lost all hope and rightfully so. But his pitiful surrender irked the creator of his ringed prison. It was not the type of yielding she was looking for and, hence, she stood up from the couch and mercilessly tightened the rings with her power:

"Nerissa! He needs to stay alive- "

"I don't care whether he lives or not, he's worthless garbage and he refuses to talk!"- Nerissa shot her a venomous look. Halinor sighed and looked down. "Might as well get rid of him for good..."

"Not before he has told us the entire truth!"- Kadma's voice thundered as she pointed the Heart of Zamballa towards the man. Her heavily outlined with black kajal eyes, pierced him threateningly. "You will speak, do you hear me, Kandor?! Because if you don't..."

The Queen made a dangerous pause. Then she hurled past Halinor and forcefully pushed something in the hostage's mouth. Kandor choked on it, but before he could spit it out, the former Earth guardian roughly pushed his jaw up, forcing him to swallow.

"If you don't, my chastising bean will start _growing_ inside you! And with every next little thrill of growth, your pain will be doubled, tripled and beyond! You will die in infernal pains!"- Kadma spat as Halinor closed her eyes in defeat. She couldn't and wouldn't even try to talk her two friends out of torturing Kandor, for he actually deserved it. He was a traitor and a cheat, and he was to blame for the shocking turn of events that Kandrakar and all of them were going through.

The blonde folded her arms on her chest, unraveling the bell sleeves of her ethereal tunic. She watched Kandor squirm in Nerissa's rings, desperate to be elsewhere...

"You will speak! Do I stand clear? You WILL speak the truth and only the truth!"- Kadma ordered and waved her hand, triggering the growth of the bean that the man had just swallowed, with her powers.

At first, he didn't bulge, but then, as the roots started moving inside him, Kandor let out a terrifying scream which echoed in the walls of the manor...

"Impressive, Kads."- Nerissa snickered. While Kadma's anger had gotten the better of her, Nerissa had chosen to express her dissatisfaction in gloating.

She moved her piercing emerald orbs from her heavily breathing friend to the miserable hostage, who was on the verge of passing out. "Now, you pathetic traitor. Be a dear and kindly tell us all that you have on the Dark Descendant."

The old man snickered through his pangs, as he met the Mage's eyes. Her smile slowly quenched as he muttered spitefully:

"I'd rather die than betray the gold-blooded. You can do whatever you want to me, but you shall never stop the Descendant! The Descendant is my homeland's savior, they're much bigger than you, me and anything else that you find important."

"Your insolence and arrogance are quite ridiculous."- the brunette averred as she came closer to him. "You forget who you're dealing with. I imprisoned you in your own veil, 11 years ago. I am Nerissa! What is important to me is what matters most, I break everything and everyone who stand in my way!"

"You're long not what you used to be, Nerissa."- Kandor's laugh came out as a gleeful hiss, despite the pain that Kadma's growing bean caused him. "Mortal values and obsessive feelings bound you to a reality where you live for things as meaningless as a family. The moment you dropped your dominance aspirations you became a silent letter! You cannot fight our society, our Descendant... you cannot even bring yourself to kill me!"

Nerissa, who was shaking with silent anger, still managed to reply to Kandor's mad insolence with a cold-blooded grimace:

"Why must I kill an old fool like you?"- she said in a low voice. "Your old, weak body is irrelevant to me and this entire story. It's your insane princess who I'll kill."

"Princess Leonida has nothing to do with this! She-"- but his voice had betrayed him. Kandor's words got stuck in his throat as he felt yet another sharp pain in his stomach due to Kadma's triggered fury:

"You're lying, you worm!"- she roared. "The tramp is of importance to your Descendant story. If not the Descendant their self, she's a pawn of their interest!"- Kadma wrapped her hands around the man's neck. "We will bring her down, don't you dare doubt that. But first, I will kill you! I will not grant you the joy of seeing your dream even just _fighting_ to come true!"

"Both of you stop this at once!"- Halinor demanded. She had waved her hand and teletransported the hostage back in the cellar where they originally kept him... "We can't afford to become Kandor's murderers!"- she exclaimed.

"Oh, would you please shut up!"- Nerissa hissed, irritated. "How do you suggest we extract the information we need from him, otherwise? He's practically sentenced to death, either way. He plotted against your dear Kandrakar and costed them with more than I could have ever hoped to achieve. And what is worse, you _knew_!"

"I did not know that any of this would happen to Kandrakar-"

Her former leader's exaggerated, angry laugh, interrupted her. Halinor sighed as Nerissa turned to Kadma and said through gritted teeth:

"Look at our darling Hal. She _still_ believes that this is all and only about Kandrakar!"

Kadma's ice cold, angry expression barely changed. She moved her eyes from the distance and focused them on the former Fire guardian with unimaginable strictness:

"We've reached the end of our tether, that's obvious. You were under oath, that's understandable. But Kandor? He's worthless! He refuses to talk! Is he under oath too!? Is his life under oath?!"

"Please, I understand your anger and frustration, but the reason why I was under an unbreakable oath is much more serious than you can imagine. Allow me to explain-"

"No oath is truly unbreakable, now is it, Halinor? Especially for someone as erudite as you."- Nerissa interrupted her bitterly, causing her blue eyes to look down again in a mixture of shame and lassitude. She was tired of this fight. "Had you wanted to share with us, you would've found a way."- the green-eyed woman went on, judgmentally. "After all that happened in that last year, I've never even dreamed that you'd ever choose the Oracle's side over ours again-"

"Shut up!"- Halinor suddenly yelled, bewildering the other two. The sky outside was suddenly illuminated by lightning. "Shut up and listen to me! I've taken no sides, I've done nothing because of anyone... anyone but these five girls. I hid the details about the Dark Descendant, because had I not, one of the guardians would've _died_!"

Another lighting fell, followed by a deafening thunder, illuminating the entire room once again. Kadma's shock was visible in her violet-blue eyes that darted across the distance and fell on Halinor again:

"W-what?!"

"Who foretold that?"- Nerissa wanted to know. Her hard tone was still there, but her tenets were shaken. "Himerish?"

Halinor slumped down on one chair, breathing deeply before teletransporting an old book in her hands. She summoned a sheaf of her Kandrakarian magic, a type of magic which only the elders of the Fortress possess, and opened it.

"This book..."- Kadma exclaimed. "It looks just like the one which the guardians now have..."

"This book is the second changing book on Coronia's secrets and the real essence of the Dark Descendant. But let me tell you about the reason for our forced silence and non-participation up until now. As I already said, there's an old malison created in order to protect the Dark Descendant. "- Halinor stated quietly, going through the written with visible indisposing. "What Himerish did was estimate the truthfulness of it, Rissy...It's terrifyingly accurate and indisputably true. That is the reason why Kandrakar and all of its allies kept all knowledge about the Dark Descendant buried. Up until now. Now that the darkness has taken a particular shape and form, all the conditions of the malison are fulfilled. The protecting malison of the Descendant can no longer harm the guardians. We had no other choice-"

"The entire united Council of the Fortress of Infinity couldn't break the alleged curse of one stupid book?!"- Nerissa's fervent voice nailed every word like a hammer. Her outraged gaze met her friend's distressed orbs as she spat: "I call bulshit! The purpose of all these ancient curses and banes is to manipulate people! There's always a way, a loophole, how could you just wait all these- "

"No, there was no such thing, Nerissa! You don't want to understand."- Halinor interrupted her ruefully. "If there was a way to avoid all this and help the girls once the problem emerged the first time, we would've done it! See for yourself!"- and she handed her the book on the page she had opened. "Tell me, Nerissa. Where is the loophole in this?! What is the right way to escape the consequences of all these ancient curses if their conditions aren't met? _Why did Will's name appear on this page, 25 years ago?!_"

Nerissa frowned at the undebatable argument, before firing:

"He did it."

"Huh?"

"Kandor. He has been on Kandrakar for decades, he has set it all up to make sense of his stupid games and sequester all the vital things long enough for his 'growing darkness' to hold the Fortress in grim siege."

"Nerissa, it's not as simple!"- Halinor objected. "Had it been just a deceit, we wouldn't have fallen for it. Not all of us at the same time, at least- "

"Yes, it is!"- Nerissa insisted. "Why not, Halinor?"- she laughed angrily. "All of you believed the Mage for years and then lost balance in my webs one by one. Different people maneuver with different methods! Kandrakar's current fate is yet another result of your undivided inactions!"

"Say whatever you want, but don't allow your disrelish for Kandrakar to cloud your judgment, Nerissa! It's not the same! Nothing ever is the same, and when it was a guardian's life in danger, I personally couldn't take the risk! Because I've experienced this pain for myself."- Halinor's eyes were wet. Her voice was getting higher and more restless with every next part of her shaky, yet earnest statement: "The loss...No, never again would I watch that happen! Not after what happened to Cassidy!"

Nerissa blenched, but bared her teeth:

"You, of course! Himerish, I don't think so! He didn't care about his guardians' lives back then; he certainly doesn't care much more now!"

"Nerissa, you're _not_ right!"

"ENOUGH! Both of you!"

Kadma's yell had put an end to her friends' heated, emotional debate.

"The cat is out of the bag and the current situation can't be mended by discussing all these possibilities."- she averred. "It's pointless to even discuss this decision anymore; we need to rectify the situation by being smarter in the present, not by getting lost in what's past!"

"You're right, Kadma."- Halinor sobbed.

Nerissa brought her hands together and nodded sharply, yet concordantly:

"I completely agree. The question is _how_ are we to do that. Where do we even begin?"

The three women fell into complete silence for the first time in hours. The rain outside continued to fall. They remained silent until the former Earth guardian opened her mouth with a new thought that had suddenly crossed her mind:

"Wait. Halinor, you said that this is the second changing book on Coronia?"- she sought clarification, waving the big book in her hands.

"Yes."- the blonde blinked. "Why?"

"And the guardians?"

"Yes...They hold volume number three."

"Number three? The books are more than two?"

Kadma and Nerissa looked at each other as Halinor started to catch up on what they were saying.

"If Kandrakar had the second volume and the guardians found the third one..."-Kadma began.

"Then where's volume number one? The original changing book of Coronia?"- the other brunette finished.

"The beginning of this horrific bilge."- the violet-eyed woman muttered. "More about it must be expounded in the first volume!"

"That's it! Where is the first volume, Halinor?"

Anxious, but thoughtful, the former Fire guardian met her two friends' gazes:

"That's a very good question."

* * *

_A/N: Sorry for a longer wait. I'm kind of on a little vacation and I've been texting and talking to friends 24/7, lol. Do let me know what you guys think. Was Magana in her right to act like so? Was Leonida somewhat corrupted by the circumstances? And most importantly, is she really the Dark Descendant? ;)_


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